Denys Baptiste

b. 14 September 1969, London, England. A gifted tenor saxophonist, Baptiste was prompted towards jazz after hearing his father’s record collection. He studied at London’s Guildhall of Music. Early and abiding influences include John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins (even down to the beard) with occasional echoes in his playing of Wayne Shorter. Based in London, Baptiste has worked with many similarly located musicians, including Gary Crosby’s Nu Troop, Julian Joseph, Bheki Mseleku, Jason Rebello and drummer Caroline Taylor, and released his debut as leader in 1999. As he has steadily forged his own distinctive musical signature, Baptiste’s progress suggests that his will become a recognized name on the UK jazz scene. The excellent Let Freedom Ring! From was a self-composed suite based on the speeches of Martin Luther King.