Soul / Hip-Hop / R&B

Professor of Saxophone for the Royal Marines, Simon Bates is known and respected for his stylistic versatility and instrumental prowess. Musical Director for Rick Astley’s re-launch tour in September, Simon is in great demand on the London jazz and session scene - his playing features on countless adverts, film scores, TV theme tunes and pop records. Simon has appeared live and recorded with a wide variety of bands and musicians including Elvis Costello, Lulu, Billy Ocean, Rick Wakeman, D:Ream, Chaka Khan, Emma Bunton, Seal and Peter Erskine. He has performed around the world in a wide variety of settings from the Q.E.2. and Eiffel Tower to Ronnie Scotts and the Jazz Cafe. 

“Before switching to a new instrument I like to research all the possible options. I found that the MOTIFES ticks all the right boxes and is a cut above the rest in terms of the quality of sound it delivers – I just love it all.” 

Drawing influence from the funky bass lines and bass-heavy electro and hip-hop of the 1980s, Nick’s future was clearly one with a groove. 

Steve Gadd is the most acclaimed drummer’s drummer of the past quarter century. From the early 1970s he forged a new era in studio craft with his phenomenal technique and emotionally intense playing. Whatever the music, be it jazz, pop, RnB or fusion, Gadd was simply the best. 

Long-time bass player with huge US Ska band No Doubt, Tony Kanal is of East Indian descent. He was born in Kingsbury, England where he lived until his parents moved to California in 1981. 

Born in Glasgow in 1949, Hamish Stuart was leader singer and guitarist with The Average White Band for from 1973 until their split in 1982. Formed in 1972, the band came out of Hamish’s native Scotland playing American-style soul and funk.