Iain Ballamy

Biography
Articles

Ballamy established himself playing alongside notables including Hermeto Pascoal, the late Gil Evans, George Coleman, Dewey Redman, Mike Gibbs and the New York Composers Orchestra. Touring extensively world-wide, he has appeared at most international festivals and venues. Ballamy can be heard on over 40 CDs. A long time collaborator with Django Bates, since the days of Loose Tubes and Bill Bruford's Earthworks he is currently a member of Django's 'Human Chain' and 'Delightful Precepice'. Parallel to his international jazz career, Ballamy has pursued his interest in world music, playing concerts in India and Europe with the Karnataka College of Percussion. He has performed and forged strong working relationships with renowned musicians from Hungary, Norway, Spain, Sudan, Brazil and beyond... Combined arts projects include tours with Sankalpam the contemporary Indian Dance group and Ballamy's acclaimed role as 'Steve the prat' in Simon Black's stage play 'Out There' which toured Britain in 1995 and '96. His distinctive saxophone voice can be heard in his improvisations for the BBC Radio 4 play 'Signal to Noise' by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean, the movie 'Legend' and a documentary 'Joseph Losey - the Man with Four Names'. Ballamy recently scored the award winning film Mirrormask directed by Dave McKean for the Jim Henson company. Ballamy's wide ranging musical interests add depth and creativity to his music which can be clearly heard on Veggie and Last Supper release by Rune Gramafon (featuring Norwegians Arve Henriksen, Mats Eilertsen and Thomas Stronen). He is also a specialist tutor at the Royal Academy and Trinity College of music in London.

Awards

1985 John Dankworth Cup, Best Soloist. 1995 BT British Jazz Award, John Dankworth Award Best Ensemble 2001 BBC Jazz Award for Innovation 2007 Paul Hamlyn Award

Jamie Safir: Momentism

Read "Momentism" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
September 2, 2026

Pianist Jamie Safir has spent more than 15 years writing, recording and performing with artists including Laufey, Kylie Minogue, Jamie Cullum and Annie Lennox. His compositional work includes a Christmas single for singer- songwriter Will Young and a co-writing credit on Ian Shaw's 2022 album Greek Street Friday (Silent Wish Records). He is also a familiar presence at Ronnie Scott's, where his debut solo show, Piano Talk, co-written with Shaw, was a sell-out. A new chapter began when Chill Tone Records ...

Album Review

John Donaldson: We Were Together, I Forget the Rest

Read "We Were Together, I Forget the Rest" reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
August 26, 2026

Pianist John Donaldson reunites an exceptional cast of long-time collaborators for We Were Together, I Forget the Rest, a deeply personal album written in memory of his late wife, Agatha Coffey. The musicians featured on the recording represent relationships forged across Donaldson's five-decade career. Vocalists Norma Winstone and Rebecka Edlund are joined by drummer Jeff Ballard, saxophonist Iain Ballamy, guitarist Rob Luft, trumpeter Graeme Flowers and bassist Tom Mason. Many of these professional partnerships have evolved into enduring friendships ...

Radio & Podcasts

Iain Ballamy, Sara Colman, Rebecca Nash, Ken Stubbs, Luis Perdomo

by Ludovico Granvassu
February 27, 2026

A deep dive into British jazz, whether rooted in the UK or transplanted to Australia. Happy listening! Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Iain Ballamy “Unresolved" Riversphere, Vol. 1 (Babel Label) 0:16 Host talks 4:43 Sara Colman, Rebecca Nash “Little Light" Ribbons, Vol. 1 (Stoney Lane) 6:03 Host talks 10:36 Ken Stubbs “Crooked Crooks Cracks" First House : Homecoming : ECM Revisited : Extras (CherryK) 12:12 Ken Stubbs “Hidden ...

Album Review

Sara Colman & Rebecca Nash: Ribbons Vol.1.

Read "Ribbons Vol.1." reviewed by Neil Duggan

by Neil Duggan
February 26, 2026

With an understanding and friendship built over their long collaboration and diverse projects, British songwriting duo Sara Colman and Rebecca Nash present their first combined release, Ribbons Vol.1. The album features 10 original compositions written over a four-year period, each piece being refined at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire where they are visiting teachers. Their creative chemistry has been forged with pianist-composer Rebecca Nash appearing on vocalist-songwriter Sara Colman's album What We're Made Of (Stoney Lane Records, ...

Liner Notes

Bill Bruford: The Summerfold Collection 1987-2008

by John Kelman
September 2, 2023

Intrepid percussionist/composer/bandleader Bill Bruford began his career in the late '60s art-rock arena with Yes and, later, King Crimson, but jazz has always moved underneath, like an eddying current. His early recordings, well documented on the companion Winterfold Collection, may not speak the language of jazz, but they possess its spirit. By 1986, Bruford was looking for a new path. Crimson had again dissolved, the 1981-'84 incarnation having provided him with the opportunity to explore nascent electronic drum ...

Album Review

Ian Shaw, Iain Ballamy, Jamie Safir: What's New

by Chris May
March 22, 2020

What's new? Not the dozen songs on this enchanting trio album. Most of them have been around for well over fifty years and people will likely still be enjoying them in another fifty. The composers include Duke Ellington, Richard Rodgers, Burt Bacharach, Jimmy Van Heusen, Michel Legrand and Leonard Bernstein. Musically sophisticated and lyrically literate, the allure of their songs seems to grow, not fade, with age. What's New was recorded by vocalist Ian Shaw and tenor ...

Album Review

Bill Bruford's Earthworks: Earthworks Complete

Read "Earthworks Complete" reviewed by John Kelman

by John Kelman
July 3, 2019

Since retiring as a professional musician in 2009, progressive/art rock turned jazz drummer Bill Bruford has successfully managed to maintained a place in the public eye. Beyond his engaging, informative and successful Bill Bruford: The Autobiography (Jawbone Press, 2009), the drummer/percussionist has more recently released a second, equally captivating book, Uncharted: Creativity and the Expert Drummer (University of Michigan Press, 2018).Initially stemming from the success of his autobiography but since assuming a life of its own (and no ...