Dom Franks

Former winner of the Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Musician of the Year competition, Dom Franks is a versatile musician, teacher and composer based in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Following a spell with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, Dom studied on the Postgraduate Jazz course at London’s Guildhall School of Music with former Jazz Messenger Jean Toussaint and saxophonist Stan Sulzmann. Since then he has headed up promotions at London’s Jazz Café, and worked as manager and music booker at the Vortex Jazz Club in Dalston. At the same time he has maintained a busy career as a freelance session musician, bandleader and teacher.

An adaptable saxophonist and arranger, Dom has worked in a wide range of styles; from classical solo engagements on soprano saxophone with the Oxford Pro Musica Singers to session work on alto and tenor sax with with Jocelyn Brown, Alison Limerick, Ikon and Shaft (on #1 chart-topping hit single ‘Mucho Mambo (Sway)’) among others. Dom’s touring schedule has taken him around Europe several times and to South Africa. His influences as a musician are eclectic, taking in Joe Lovano, Art Pepper, Gary Bartz, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, Maceo Parker, Kenny Garrett, Paul Desmond and many stylistic bases in between, both classical and jazz-based. Dom currently leads Dom Franks’ StrayHorn, a groove-driven jazz quartet which performs Dom’s original compositions and features keyboardist Alex Steele and leading musicians from the Bristol and Birmingham jazz scenes.

The group's recent albums include 'Living With Spooks' (2017) a collaboration with leading European jazz pianist John Law, and the twin albums 'Duality Pt.1' (2024), a collaboration with Bristol-based Hammond organist Anders Olinder and guitarist Matt Hopkins), and Duality Pt.2 (2025), featuring Brazilian composer / arranger Luiz Morais and the Carducci String Quartet.

Dom Franks' StrayHorn toured the music from both albums around the UK, while the albums recieved widespread acclaim in the press and picked up radio airplay on Jazz FM, BBC Radio 3 (Round Midnight), One Jazz and elsewhere.

Bandcamp page: https://domfranksstrayhorn.bandcamp.com/

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/domfranksstrayhorn/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/domfranksjazz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/37Qjgo1v80KjRPEsq5Ecxa

Awards

Former Daily Telegraph Young Jazz Musician Winner

Gear

Yamaha YS-62 soprano and tenor sax

Yanagisawa 990 custom alto sax

Rico Jazz Select and Legere French Cut reeds

Tags