Keith Gemmell

Keith Gemmell (born 15 February 1948) is a professional musician - saxophones, clarinet and flute - and probably best known for being a member of British art rock band Audience from 1969 to 1972 and from 2004 until the present. He is also a musical arranger/composer and publishes digital sheet music, writes articles for the UK publication, Music Tech Magazine, and is the author of several books including the best-seller Cubase Tips & Tricks.

Early life and career

Keith Gemmell was born in Hackney, London. He started playing the recorder at the age of 13 and was later attracted to the clarinet on hearing Acker Bilk's Stranger on the Shore.[1] He has cited his early influences as the British trad jazz bands of the day, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball and Chris Barber being the best known names. Upon hearing such bands as Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, Sounds Incorporated and The Mar-Keys he decided to take up the saxophone and began playing in local bands. Aged 17, he turned fully professional, joining Bognor Regis based band The Noblemen and between August 1965 and May 1966, toured Europe playing in smoky clubs, US bases and the famous Piper Club in Rome. On returning to the UK he joined Hackney band, The Lloyd Alexander Blues Band, who later, metamorphosed into Audience.

Performing and recording career

Formed in 1969, Audience had an unusual line up of tenor sax doubling clarinet and flute, electric acoustic guitar, drums and bass. They had no lead guitarist as such and with the aid of echo loops and wah-wah pedal Gemmell's reeds replaced this traditional rock band role.

After Audience, in 1972, Gemmell joined forces with Mick Underwood, Geoff Sharkey, Paul Simmons and Mick Hodgkinson to form Sammy. Their one and only album was produced by Ian Gillan (Deep Purple).

Upon the breakup of Sammy, Gemmell joined the Roy Young Band. He now found himself playing alongside his teenage hero, Eddie Thornton (former trumpet player with Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames). He became friendly with Eddie and together they played many reggae sessions, along with the legendary Jamaican trombonist, Rico Rodriguez.

After a call from their management, Gemmell left the Roy Young Band for a three year stint with West Country band, Stackridge, a hugely popular live act in the early to mid seventies. Like Audience, Stackridge were a unique band with an unusual line up and quirky but very catchy songs. He played on their albums, Extravaganza and Mr. Mick.

When Stackridge collapsed he left the world of rock bands behind him, studying clarinet with Prof. Richard Addison (principal clarinetist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) for a year. Now living in London, Gemmell joined several big bands, played sessions, played in function bands, on the QE2, taught for ILEA and enjoyed a successful freelance career. He also did a great deal of copying (music preparation) for film composer, John Altman, which kindled his interest in writing and arranging music.

Following the session work, Gemmell joined the Pasadena Roof Orchestra taking the 2nd. alto sax and clarinet chair. They toured extensively and he remained with them for 14 years, (1983 - 1997). In that time, he wrote many arrangements for the orchestra.

Recent life and work

Upon leaving the PRO, Gemmell built a second freelance career, this time as a writer of both words (music technology) and music (composing and arranging). His first book was about recording with Cubase, firstly from a musician's perspective, secondly, from an engineer's perspective and he called it Get Creative with Cubase. Other music technology books followed and in 2003 he began contributing articles to Music Tech Magazine, which he still does today.

Most of Keith Gemmell’s working time these days is spent writing, arranging and publishing digital sheet music which can be found at his personal website.

Selected discography

with Audience
with Sammy

* 1972 Sammy

with Stackridge
with Pasadena Roof Orchestra
sessions
film soundtracks

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ "Audience Fansite,Interview with Audience Sax man Keith Gemmell". www.audiencefansite.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
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