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Biography Munch Manship was born in Teeside, North Yorkshire in 1952. An early interest in jazz prompted him to take up the saxophone at the age of ten. In his teens the late great alto saxophonist Ronnie Asperey taught him and by the age of 18 Munch was working as a professional musician on the Mecca Ballroom circuit. He then joined the Eric Delaney Big Band and toured the U.K. extensively. After a brief spell in London he returned north and started working around the Manchester area in the early 1970. He played for the First House Group nightclub Blighty's in Manchester, where the support band had the good fortune to work with American jazz stars such as Thelonius Monk, Oscar Peterson Trio, Stan Kenton Big Band, Cannonball Adderley, Woody Herman and his Herd and Saleena Jones and a host of other stars. Pursuing his freelance career in the 1980s he toured Europe with artists such as Lou Rawls, Johnny Mathis, Jack Jones, Shirley Bassey, and Roy Orbison. He has been in constant demand as a session musician on saxophones, flute and clarinet and was a regular player in the BBC Northern Radio Orchestra in Manchester where he played for various radio and TV shows. He has also played for Ronnie Hazlehurst, Alan Ainsworth, and Sir Charles Groves and has also played with the original Sid Lawrence Orchestra and The BBC Radio Big Band. He was also in the orchestra for The Granada TV Bafta Awards for many years Taking the doubling of instruments seriously, he has had tutorials on flute with Roger Rostron (Hallé Orchestra), saxophone with Lew Tabachin, clarinet with Leonard Foster and once had a Bebop harmony lesson with Red Rodney who was a featured trumpet soloist with Charlie Parker. He has made regular appearances on saxophones with the Hallé Orchestra, adding his finely crafted skills to performances of Ravel's Bolero (tenor & soprano saxophone), which was recorded and broadcast by Granada Television, Mussorgsky's, Pictures at an Exhibition (alto saxophone solo), George Gershwin's Porgy & Bess (lead alto) and Sir Michael Tippett's He has performed as a professional theatre musician in such shows as the Broadway touring version of West Side Story, Cats, Phantom Of The Opera, Charlie Girl, Stephen Sondheim's world premiere of Follies, Annie, Chicago, Merrily We Roll Along, Anne Frank, Goodnight Mr Tom, Chorus Line, Evita, Barnum, A Little Night Music, Blood Brothers, Cheeky Chappie, Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls and many more. Munch is firmly established as one of the most sought after soloists in jazz clubs throughout the country both as a guest artist and fronting his own bands. His strong muscular sound on the tenor saxophone has held its own along side many international stars such as Ronnie Scott, Bobby Shew, Dusko Goykovich, Victor Mendoza, Jim Bruno, Jim Mullen and John Etheridge. He was also in the support band, which played along side the alto saxophone legend Art Pepper at the Hammersmith and Fulham Jazz festival. As well as performing, Munch has taken his vast experience and musicianship into teaching where he has many private pupils and currently teaches saxophone and woodwind at Salford University in Manchester. He is available to teach both beginners, intermediate and advanced students, privately using the A.B.R.S.M. curriculum up to Diploma level for saxophone, flute and clarinet. He also teaches theory and jazz improvisation and holds 'DIP MUS OPEN' from the Open University and an advanced certificate in performing from the A.B.R.S.M, where he gained a distinction. He also recognizes the need in both the private and the corporate sectors for a consortium of professional musicians who could fill the requirements of private and business clients alike and can provide music for any event. This expertise has been gained through years of experience in the music industry. Munch can provide live music for any event or budget. |