Chris Batchelor is a British

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

trumpeter The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...

and composer. He gained his first professional experience with

Dudu Pukwana Mthutuzeli Dudu Pukwana (18 July 1938 – 30 June 1990) was a South African saxophonist and composer. Early years in South Africa Dudu Pukwana was born in Walmer, Port Elizabeth, Walmer Township, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. He grew up studyin ...

's Zila aged 17, at the suggestion of

Harry Beckett Harold Winston Beckett (30 May 1935 – 22 July 2010) was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player of Barbadian origin. Biography Born in Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados, Harry Beckett learned to play music in a Salvation Army band. A ...

. He subsequently became a founder member, composer and soloist with

Loose Tubes Loose Tubes were a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to be the focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz. It was the main launchpad for the ...

, contributing many pieces to the repertoire of the band from 1984 to 1990. He was also very active at this time as a member of legendary world music trailblazers

3 Mustaphas 3 3 Mustaphas 3 is a British world music band formed in 1982. Its core members are Ben Mandelson (under the name Hijaz Mustapha), Tim Fienburgh (1954–2008) (under the name Niaveti III), Colin Bass (under the name Sabah Habas Mustapha), and Nige ...

, as well as enjoying a varied diet of gigs with

Chris McGregor Christopher McGregor (24 December 1936 – 26 May 1990) was a South African jazz pianist, bandleader and composer born in Somerset West, South Africa. Early influences McGregor grew up in the then Transkei (now part of the Eastern Cape Prov ...

's Brotherhood of Breath, Congolese soukous band Taxi Pata Pata and

Ashley Slater Ashley Slater (born 1961) is a Canadian-born British trombone player and best known for his narration on the television series '' Boo!'' as well as his work with Norman Cook (a.k.a. Fatboy Slim) in the band Freak Power. Career In 1983 after le ...

's Microgroove. As a sideman, Chris has appeared alongside many international stars, such as

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

, Sam Rivers,

Hermeto Pascoal Hermeto Pascoal (born June 22, 1936) is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is best known in music of Brazil, Brazilian music for his orchestration and improvisation, as well as ...

John Taylor John Taylor, Johnny Taylor or similar is the name of: Academics *John Taylor (Oxford), Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, 1486–1487 * John Taylor (classical scholar) (1704–1766), English classical scholar *John Taylor (English publisher) ...

and the Jazz Passengers with

Deborah Harry Deborah Ann Harry (born Angela Trimble, July 1, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached on the US charts between 1979 and 1981. Born in M ...

. He has enjoyed a long-term playing partnership with altoist Steve Buckley in their bands Orchestra Rafiki, Buckley /Batchelor Quartet and most recently with their award-winning international collaboration Big Air, featuring New York based

Myra Melford Myra Melford (born January 5, 1957) is an American avant-garde jazz pianist and composer. A 2013 Guggenheim Fellow, Melford was described by the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' as an "explosive player, a virtuoso who shocks and soothes, and who can m ...

and

Jim Black Jim Black is an American jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas. He attended Berklee College of Music. Career His band AlasNoAxis includes Hilmar Jensson on electric guitar, Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clari ...

. The music that Buckley and Batchelor wrote for the Jazz on 3 commission that brought Big Air together subsequently won them a BBC Jazz Award for Best New Work in 2001. Their 2009 release entitled Big Air was described by Brian Morton in Jazz Journal as "the best British jazz record for 20 years". In November 2009, Batchelor was selected to receive the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers.

Discography

As leader

*1994: ''Whole & The Half'' – with Steve Buckley *1999: "Life As We Know it" with Steve Buckley *2009: "Big Air" *2019: "Pigfoot Shuffle"

As sideman

With

Django Bates Django Bates (born Leon Bates, 2 October 1960) is a British jazz musician, composer, multi-instrumentalist, band leader and educator. He plays the piano, keyboards and the tenor horn. Bates has been described as "one of the most talented musici ...

*'' Summer Fruits (and Unrest)'' (JMT, 1993) *'' Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze)'' (JMT, 1995) With

* ''

'' (1985) * ''Delightful Precipice'' (1986) * ''

Open Letter An open letter is a Letter (message), letter that is intended to be read by a wide audience, or a letter intended for an individual, but that is nonetheless widely distributed intentionally. Open letters usually take the form of a letter (mess ...

'' (1988) With Billy Jenkins * '' Scratches of Spain'' (1987)

References

www.chris-batchelor.com
British jazz trumpeters British male trumpeters Living people Nucleus (band) members Alumni of Leeds College of Music 21st-century British trumpeters 21st-century British male musicians British male jazz musicians Year of birth missing (living people) Loose Tubes members Delightful Precipice members {{jazz-trumpeter-stub