Nigel Hitchcock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nigel Hitchcock
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On stage with Mark Knopfler in Dresden, Germany, 4 July 2013
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| Background information | |
| Born | 4 January 1971 Rustington, England |
| Genres | Jazz, pop |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Saxophone |
| Years active | 1982–present |
Nigel Hitchcock (born 4 January 1971) is a talented English jazz saxophonist. He is known for his amazing skills on the saxophone and has worked with many famous musicians.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Music
Nigel Hitchcock started playing the alto saxophone when he was just eight years old. He quickly showed a lot of talent. In 1982, when he was 11, Nigel and his older brother Clive joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. This is a special group for young, talented jazz musicians.
After only one year, Nigel became the lead alto sax player for the orchestra. He held this important position for five years! During this time, he toured with the orchestra and performed with famous singers like Vic Damone, Buddy Greco, and Al Martino.
Becoming a Professional Musician
When Nigel was 16, he moved to London to start his career as a professional musician. He became a "session musician," which means he played his saxophone for recordings by other artists. He recorded music for TV commercials, movie soundtracks, and even played solos on pop songs.
In 1989, Nigel joined a cool saxophone quartet called Itchy Fingers. A quartet is a group of four musicians. The band traveled all over Europe and South-East Asia for a year and a half. While with Itchy Fingers, Nigel won three jazz awards! These included the Schlitz award for a rising star and the Cleo Laine Personal Award for best young musician. After this, he decided to continue his work as a pop and session musician.
Working with Famous Artists
Nigel Hitchcock has played with many well-known artists throughout his career. Some of these include Tom Jones, Wet Wet Wet, Ray Charles, Robbie Williams, and Mark Knopfler. He has also released three of his own solo albums. His first was 'Snakeranch Sessions' in 1997. Later, he released 'SmootHitch' in 2013 and 'Hitchgnosis' in 2019 under his own music label.
Discography
Nigel Hitchcock has played on many albums for different artists. Here are some of the pop albums he has contributed to:
- Robbie Williams/ Christmas Party – 2019
- Nigel Hitchcock/ Hitchgnosis – 2019
- Incognito/ Tomorrow's New Dream – 2019
- Mark Knopfler/ Down The Road Wherever – 2018
- Kate Bush/ Remastered Part 1 – 2018
- Aretha Franklin with RPO/ A Brand New Me – 2017
- Elvis with RPO/ The Wonder of You – 2016
- Nigel Hitchcock/ SmootHitch – 2012
- Mark Knopfler/ Privateering – 2012
- Jamiroquai/ A Funk Odyssey – 2001
- Swing Out Sister/ Somewhere Deep in the Night – 2001
- Robbie Williams/ "Let Me Entertain You" – 1998
- Spice Girls/ Lady is a Vamp – 1998
- Ray Charles/ Strong Love Affair – 1996
- Take That/ Nobody Else – 1995
- Kate Bush/ The Red Shoes – 1993
- Right Said Fred/ ... and Travel – 1993
- Swing Out Sister/ Get in Touch with Yourself – 1992
