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Tutors


Our course director is Andy Crowdy who will be moving between the groups to help and advise.
Our group tutors in 2025 are Denny Ilett, Karen Sharp, Alex Clarke and Simon Allen. 
Group tutors are chosen for their skills in teaching and inspiring adult learners.

You can find their biographies below.

Other specialist tutors will be brought in to cover instrument specific and improvisation sessions.

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Andy Crowdy

Course Director
 

Andy is one of the UK’s top jazz bass players. He has been touring with Joe Brown and continues to work with Moscow Drug Club.

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He plays for John Etheridge’s Sweet Chorus and Christian Garrick as well as leading Gypsy Jazz guitarists such as Angelo DeBarre, Fapy Lafertin and Gary Potter. He has toured Europe, Australia and the USA with Lillian Boutte performing at festivals and jazz clubs. His interests stretch from Jazz to Folk, Rock to Classical and currently teaches guitar at Caldicott School. Andy is leading the workshop and will spend time in each group assisting the tutors.

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Denny Ilett

Group Tutor
 

Denny Ilett has been a professional jazz and blues guitarist for 40 years. In that time he has travelled the world with artists such as Lillian Boutté (New Orleans Official Musical Ambassador), Pee Wee Ellis (James Brown & Van Morrison), Paul Jones (Manfred Mann & The Blues Band) and Fred Wesley (James Brown, Ray Charles and Count Basie).

Denny is also an experienced teacher working for the International Guitar Foundation, Bristol University, Bath Spa University as well as being a regular contributor to Guitarist magazine and online teaching resource JTC Guitar.

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Alex Clarke

Group Tutor

As a finalist in the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and nominee in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards 2021 & 2022, Alex is known to be one of the most in-demand and versatile young saxophonists to have emerged on the British jazz scene. 

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Known for her versatility and open-minded attitude towards jazz, Alex enjoys performing a range of genres from New Orleans to bebop. Alex's musical voice is steeped in the tradition of jazz; her deep respect for the heritage of the music can be heard in her swinging, melodic sound which is reminiscent of Scott Hamilton and Lester Young, also heavily influenced by Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley.

As well as leading her own quartet, Alex works with many bands up and down the country, performing alongside notable names such as Roy Williams, Bruce Adams, Enrico Tomasso, Gilad Atzmon, Greg Abate and Art Themen.

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Simon Allen

Group Tutor

Simon began his career with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and the Pendulum Jazz Orchestra, performing alongside the likes of Jazz Stars Art Themen, Gerard Presencer, Jamie Cullum and Peter King.

 

After being a winner in the Daily Telegraph ‘Young Jazz’ competition, and a finalist in the ‘Young Jazz Musician of the Year’, Simon gained a place at the Royal Academy of Music, and was selected to join UK drummer Clark Tracey’s acclaimed Quintet, winning further awards and touring the UK over 7 years.

 

Simon is also a member of the Laurence Cottle All Star Big Band, and has worked with Colin Towns Mask Orchestra for the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Matthew Herbert Big Band, touring around Europe, Japan and China. He has recently been performing with Jazz-Funk band Incognito, and has appeared at major UK venues and festivals including Ronnie Scott’s, the Barbican and Brecon Jazz Festival, and worked with an astonishing array of top musicians from the jazz and pop world. Between 2005-2013 Simon was featured in the late Stan Tracey CBE’s various groups, and is featured on his final two quartet recordings, as well as octet and big band album releases. Simon appeared on Jools Holland’s ‘Later’ TV show performing a track from the album ‘Senior Moment’. 

 

Outside of jazz, Simon has backed Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and Paul McCartney, and has recorded and played live with Robbie Williams, Beverley Knight, Katie Melua, Jamie Cullum and many others. He is featured on the soundtracks of Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and Sujoy Ghosh’s ‘Aladdin’, and has played for Strictly Come Dancing UK arena tours.

 

Simon has released an album under his own name, ‘Any Minute Now – Simon Allen Quintet’, featuring Laurence Cottle, Martin Shaw, Tom Cawley and Mike Bradley.

 

In 2014 Simon was appointed Head of Jazz at The Purcell School for Young Musicians, and has tutored students at all the major UK Conservatoires including the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Trinity Laban College of Music.

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Karen Sharp

Group Tutor

A prominent figure on the UK Jazz scene since 2000, Karen is well known and admired for her melodic, full-toned saxophone playing, winning the British Jazz Awards for best tenor saxophonist on numerous occasions and appearing regularly as a nominee in the rising star category of the Downbeat Critics Poll.

 

​Karen’s career began with a three year stint playing in Humphrey Lyttelton’s band, playing tenor and baritone sax. During the same period she also established herself as a band leader and soloist, recording a handful of albums and working alongside musicians such as John and Jacquie Dankworth, Ken Peplowski, Jeremy Pelt, Nikki Iles, Tina May, Alan Barnes, Warren Vache, Howard Alden and Harry Allen. Karen’s quartet, established in 2012 features Nikki Iles, Dave Green and Steve Brown. In 2019 Karen formed a trio with fellow musicians Simon Thorpe on bass and Colin Oxley on guitar, exploring new sonic possibilities and the ‘space’ that such a line-up inspires. They released a recording, ‘Another Place’ in 2019 and are planning a follow up in 2023. She currently plays regularly with the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra, the Steve Waterman Big Band and the Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra.

 

​As well as a performer Karen is also an experienced teacher of jazz and instrumental technique, working with students of all ages. She has taught on the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer Courses and is in demand as a guest tutor with youth big bands across the country. Karen is currently working as an ensemble and improvisation coach with the Oxford Music Service Big Band programme.

For more information see karensharp.co.uk

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