Short Biography

Sam Braysher, “whose warm tone and consonant and inquisitive approach to harmony is attracting growing attention on the British jazz scene”, (All About Jazz) is a London-based alto saxophonist. His three albums to date, all of which feature collaborators of international renown, have received widespread critical acclaim.

Sam’s latest record (2024), featuring British Jazz Award-winning vocalist Sara Dowling, takes a closer look at the fascinating music of German-American composer Kurt Weill.

Prior to that, Golden Earrings (2017), with New York pianist Michael Kanan, was described as “delightful and surprising” by Dave Gelly in the Observer, while his 2021 trio album with Jorge Rossy (Brad Mehldau Trio) and Tom Farmer, was praised in Jazzwise as “a triumph of intelligence and sentiment”.

Sam’s busy and varied freelance career has seen him play across Europe in a range of styles and working with many of the UK’s finest musicians. When leading his own bands, he takes a particular interest in interpreting lesser-played items from the American Songbook and jazz canon.

Full Biography

London-based alto saxophonist Sam Braysher’s new record takes a closer look at the fascinating music of Kurt Weill. The German-American composer is best known for songs like “Mack the Knife” and “September Song”, but Braysher showcases fresh arrangements of some lesser-known Weill pieces, traversing the worlds of jazz, European classical music, musical theatre and opera. He is joined by an all-star rhythm section and special guest Sara Dowling, winner of Best Vocalist at the British Jazz Awards (2019).

Braysher, “whose warm tone and consonant and inquisitive approach to harmony is attracting growing attention on the British jazz scene”, (All About Jazz) has released three critically acclaimed albums to date, all of which feature collaborators of international renown.

Golden Earrings (2017), with New York pianist Michael Kanan, was described as “delightful and surprising” by Dave Gelly in the Observer, while his 2021 trio album with Jorge Rossy (Brad Mehldau Trio) and Tom Farmer, was praised in Jazzwise as “a triumph of intelligence and sentiment”.

When leading his own bands, Sam takes a particular interest in interpreting lesser-played items from the American Songbook and jazz canon. Collaborative projects include REBOP (an international quintet featuring Jorge Rossy on vibraphone); a co-led quartet with Amsterdam guitarist Linus Eppinger; and Mighty Like the Blues (a quintet with Pete Horsfall, Jim Mullen, Shane Forbes and Mike Gorman). As a sideman, Braysher has recently been heard playing with ECM artist John Warren’s nonet, Dave Green Trio, Barry Green Trio and The London Jazz Orchestra.

Born in 1989, Sam grew up in Norfolk, moving to London aged 18 to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he was a Chartered Surveyors’ Prize winner and an Artist Fellow. He graduated with First Class Honours, and whilst studying, was a winner of the U.K. Jazz Radio Young Performers’ Award. He has played at UK venues including Ronnie Scott’s, 606 Club, Pizza Express Jazz Club, Vortex Jazz Club, Cadogan Hall, Barbican Hall, Royal Festival Hall, and the London Jazz, Marlborough Jazz, Cork Jazz and Norfolk and Norwich Festivals; and internationally at Vibraphonissimo Festival (Nuremberg), Jimmy Glass Jazz Bar (Valencia), Birdland Hamburg, Sala Lux (Granada), Jamboree (Barcelona), Cafe Central (Madrid) Bird’s Eye Jazz Club (Basel), Murphy’s Law (The Hague), Breda Jazz Festival (NL), Jazz Federation Hamburg, Sunset (Girona) and Caveau de la Huchette (Paris), among many others.