Graeme Blevins

Graeme is a saxophonist and woodwind performer from Perth in Western Australia. He attended Perth Modern School on a music scholarship from which he graduated with the "Most Outstanding Instrumentalist"

In addition to the study of jazz, Graeme also studied classical saxophone including acceptance into the National Academy of Music's "Wind in Focus program" in 1996, lessons with Mark Walton (Sydney Conservatorium of Music) and a scholarship to attend the Australasian Clarinet and Saxophone Conference (1997).

In 1998 Graeme was accepted into the National Academy of Music's Jazz Program and began studying with Graeme Lyall, an icon in the Australian music industry. His membership with the Perth Jazz Orchestra included a tour to India to appear at the 1998 "Jazz Yatra" Festival.

Graeme completed a short student exchange to the Royal Academy of Music (London) in 1999, studying with Stan Sultzman, Julian Arguilles and Richard Addison (Royal Philharmonic) and also studied briefly with Claude Delangle (Paris Conservatoire). It was in that year that Graeme graduated from The West Australian Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music (Jazz Performance) degree, and won the "Wyllie Scholarship" for most outstanding graduating student.

Since 2000, Graeme has performed casually with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, in both jazz and classical capacities and more recently has performed with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

In 2001 Graeme was awarded the West Australian Music Industry Award for "Most Outstanding Contribution to Jazz in Western Australia". He also toured the East Coast of Australia with "Hip Mo' Toast", "Frames of Minds" and "K" which appeared at the Wangaratta International Jazz Festival.

In 2002, Graeme was commissioned to compose a work for brass ensemble and church organ for the "Fremantle International Jazz Festival" and began teaching saxophone at the West Australian Conservatorium of Music. In July of 2002 Graeme was one of 4 finalists selected throughout Australia for the "Freedman Fellowship".

Graeme was a Finalist in the Wangaratta international saxophone competition, and in 2003 spent time in New York Studying with Seamus Blake and Chris Potter.

In July 2004 Graeme Relocated to London to pursue a greater variety of performance opportunities. In August, Graeme will perform throughout France with the "Glenn Miller Orchestra".

Sample repertoire

FAQ's

When will the band arrive to set up?

When you book a band you will be asked for both a start time and an end time. The start time must be at least 30 minutes prior to the performance commencing to allow the band to set up. If the band you book requires more than 30 minutes, you will not be charged extra, the band will just arrive slightly before the start time that you have specified. The band will finish playing at the end time and will need to pack up immediately.

Will the band provide their own their own sound equipment?

All of our London-based bands are self-contained and provide their own sound equipment suitable for most situations. If your event is to be held in a large venue, or you have more than about 300 guests, we recommend that additional sound equipment should be used. In this case, please contact us before booking to confirm exactly what you require and to receive a free quote. If you wish you can provide any extra sound equipment yourself or hire a third party company to provide it.

Do you supply DJs or Discos?

Yes - for events within London, please visit the DJ Packages for Events in London page.

If your event is outside London, you can search for DJ's & Mobile Discos for Events in the directory.

What will the band require?

• A standard power socket (no more than 5m from the performance area)

• Parking for up to 3 cars (depending on the size of the band)

• Changing room

• Refreshments (it is customary to provide musicians with food & drink

How do I choose the right band for my event?

To help you choose, consider the following:

• A smaller ensemble (e.g. duo/trio) may find it hard to be heard in larger venues or at busy events.
• If you are booking a band for dancing, larger ensembles with drums and/or vocals are more suitable.
• Try our advanced search to find exactly what you're looking for!

Related Articles:

Selecting a wedding band - how to choose music for a wedding reception

Selecting a corporate event band - choosing the right music for your corporate event

How do I book and when do I pay?

• Pay by credit card - You can pay either a deposit, or the entire cost to secure your booking. Your card will not be charged until the booking is confirmed by us, and you will receive both confirmation of the booking and notification of successful payment. If you choose to pay a deposit, the remaining cost will be charged to your credit card on the date of the event.
  
• Pay by cheque - To pay by cheque you must pay the entire cost at once. When we confirm your booking we will supply details of where to send your cheque. Please do not send payment until we have confirmed your booking by email. Please make any cheques payable to “LastMinuteMusicians.com”
  
• Bank transfers - Available on request.

Can I cancel my booking after paying my deposit?

Yes, you can cancel your booking at any time and receive a full refund! However, if you cancel less than 91 days before the event, part or all of your deposit will be retained as a cancellation fee. 21 to 91 days before performance: 50% of full fee is retained, 1 to 21 days before performance: 100% of full fee is retained. This reflects not only the time and effort involved organising the booking, but also the decreasing probability of the act finding alternative work at such short notice.

Is VAT added to your prices?

No. LastMinuteMusicians.com is not VAT registered.

How far in advance do I need to book a band?

Our most popular bands get booked up years in advance so it is always a good idea to book as far in advance as possible. We can only take online bookings for bands up to 3 days before your event, however, it is sometimes possible to make a telephone booking right up to the last minute!

If I book a band with drums, will the drums be too loud?

Playing at the appropriate volume it is extremely important to most of our clients. All the drummers in our bands are quite used to playing sympathetically to the surroundings, and can play with 'brushes' which allows them to balance perfectly with the other instruments in the band.

Do I need to tell the venue that I have booked a band?

Yes. Venues are now required by law to have a licence for live music so it always a good to let your venue know if you have hired a band. They will probably give you information about loading procedures, parking etc. which you should pass on for the band as soon as possible.

Do you provide backing bands for solo artists?

We are often asked to supply a band for a showcase or one-off gig. We can supply anything from a pianist to a full professional backing band. Please contact us for more information

Do you ever have to substitute musicians?

Yes, but only on a few exceptional occasions! Whilst every effort is made to ensure that musicians aren't substituted, occasionally it is necessary for us to do so in cases of illness etc. The substitute musician would be an experienced professional recommended by us and suitable for the band you booked.

Do you provide any bands for events outside of London?

In some cases we will supply bands outside of London, especially if you can offer accommodation. Please contact us to enquire about a specific band.

Not found the answer?

Simply contact us if you have any other questions about our London-based bands or call us on 0870 428 3549 (mon-fri, 8.30am-6.30pm).