Iain Bellamy
b. 20 February 1964, Guildford, Surrey, England. Ballamy is largely self-taught, having started to learn piano before taking to reed instruments. He formed his own group, the Iains, in 1983 and in the same year worked with Graham Collier in a band which eventually became Loose Tubes. Among his closest musical associates are Django Bates(a member of the Iains and Loose Tubes) and Bill Bruford, with whose band, Earthworks, Ballamy has played since 1986. He has also worked with Gil Evans and Billy Jenkins's Voice Of God Collective. Although deriving much inspiration from John Coltrane, Ballamy has not allowed this to lead him into a musical cul-de-sac, as has happened to many of his contemporaries. and is rapidly developing into a significant leader of musical fashion. He exhibits not only an impressive technique, whether on alto, tenor or soprano saxophone, but also a glorious heart-on-sleeve romanticism which he displays, for example, on one of his own compositions, All I Ask Of You, on his first album as leader.