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Dave Saul (1937 – 2013) was an English jazz pianist and composer, best known for his broadcasts on BBC Radio with his groups the Dave Saul Quartet and the Dave Saul Quintet featuring Stan Sultzman and Kenny Wheeler amongst others.

Early life
Dave Saul was born on 15 Mar 1937 in Bebington on the Wirral Peninsula in North West England, spending his childhood in the family home in nearby Heswall, and attending Calday Grange Grammar School.



Beginnings in Music
Dave Saul started learning classical piano at the age of 8. When he was 16 he heard George Shearing playing "September in the Rain" on the radio and was "spellbound". He and his friend Hugh Potter, who was equally struck, subsequently listened a great deal to the George Shearing Quintet and to other American-based jazz musicians on 78 r.p.m. records. Inspired by this, Dave Saul started teaching himself to play jazz piano. His cousin, harmonica player Frank Dennis, recalls teaching Dave to play boogie-woogie on the piano around this time.

Early Career and Beginnings as a Jazz Musician
Dave left school at sixteen and worked for a printing firm until he was called up to do National Service. After this, he joined a firm of architects in Glasgow, during which time he became professionally qualified.

In 1969 he attended the jazz course at Barry Summer School, South Wales, where he earned great respect from fellow-students and tutors. Up to that point, Dave was completely self-taught as a jazz musician. Dave had started to compose in the early 1970s but suffered a lack of confidence. At Barry, jazz pianist and composer Gordon Beck, and jazz drummer Tony Oxley, gave him great encouragement. The experience proved to be a great influence on his playing, and by 1975 was accomplished enough to appear on Scottish Television with drummer Tony Oxley and bassist Ron Mathewson'. [p.24 Musician Journal of the musicians union, winter 1975].

Dave Saul returned to Barry Summer School each year until 1976. It gave him the opportunity to play with professional musicians at a high level. He used to say "If you want to improve, always try and play with the best, it is the way to learn", and Barry Summer School gave him such opportunities. After Barry, Dave Saul began to believe that his tunes "might have something to experiment on". He remembered pianist and composer Michael Garrick, then at the forefront of modern jazz in Britain, humourously bowing to him as a mark of admiration after his composition "Reverence".

Development into Professional Jazz Musician
In 1974, on the death of his father, he returned his native Wirral to give support to his mother. Although he was always torn between carrying on in architecture and his love of music, modern jazz in particular, he felt he had reached the point where he must make music his career. He decided then to begin full time classical music studies at Sandown College, Liverpool where in 1978 he gained a Diploma in Music and a Licentiate Diploma in piano teaching from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

From then on he applied himself to studying modern jazz, developing a melodic approach to playing inspired by American pianist Bill Evans. His playing led to broadcasts on BBC Radio of the Dave Saul Quartet and Dave Saul Quintet featuring noted jazz players such as Kenny Wheeler, Stan Sulzmann and Ron Mathewson amongst others. He also played many jazz sessions and commercial engagements with Hugh Potter, his lifelong friend, who had become a skilled double-bassist and with whom he developed a close musical rapport.

Marriage
In the late seventies Dave Saul met Gladyse Tari from France. Their temperaments and interests were complementary and their growing love for each other inspired his composition "Girl from Toulouse" which he dedicated to her. They married in 1984 in Gladyse's home village not far from Toulouse.

TV and Radio Broadcasts
In 1974, Dave Saul appeared on Scottish Television with Ron Mathewson and Tony Oxley "starting with a little tune called Nardis", a tune written by Miles Davis and made famous by Bill Evans.

He has also featured on various jazz programmes on BBC Radio under with his original compositions played by the Dave Saul Quartet and the Dave Saul Quintet:
 * Jazz Club, BBC Radio 2, 18 March 1973 - Dave Saul Quintet.
 * Sounds of Jazz, BBC Radio 2, 22 July 1984 - Dave Saul Quintet featuring Stan Sulzmann (saxes/flute), with Ron Mathewson (bass) and Mark Taylor (drums).
 * Sounds of Jazz, BBC Radio 2, 22 January 1989 - Dave Saul Quartet featuring Kenny Wheeler, with Ron Mathewson (bass) and Mark Taylor (drums). (Recorded on 14/09/1988 at Golders Green Hippodrome).
 * Jazz Notes, BBC Radio 2, 2 October 1993 - Dave Saul Quintet featuring Kenny Wheeler (trumpet/flugelhorn) and Stan Sulzmann (saxes/flute), with Ron Mathewson (bass) and Jeremy Stacey (drums). (Recorded at Maida Vale Studios).

Live Performances
Dave Saul played gigs at the 606 Club in Chelsea and the Foyer of the Royal Festival Hall in London, usually with either Ron Mathewson or Andy Cleyndert on bass. He also played with various musicians including Stan Sulzmann, Julian Arguelles, Iain Ballamy, Dave O'Higgins, Ray Warleigh, Henry Lowther, Guy Barker, Jim Mullen, Phil Lee, Dave Green and Brian Spring.

Dave Saul also backed American jazz musicians visiting Liverpool, including Spike Robinson (tenor sax), Phil Wilson (trombone) and Jiggs Wigham (trombone) with his North-West based quartet comprising Richard Iles (trumpet,flugelhorn), Jon Thorne (bass), Dave Walsh (drums).

Death
Dave Saul passed away on Monday the 12th of August 2013. Dave had been suffering with Alzheimer's disease for several years, gradually deteriorating to the point of total dependency during the last year of his illness. His death was nevertheless peaceful at the end, befitting the spirit with which he lived his life. A service of thanksgiving took place on 22nd of August at Landican Cemetery on the Wirral, with music by Erik Satie as well as two of his own pieces.

Influences
Dave Saul was greatly influenced by jazz musicians George Shearing and Bill Evans and by the piano music of French composers Satie, Ravel and Debussy.

Philosopy
Dave Saul dedicated many of his tunes to people he felt close to. His works frequently involved praise. In itself the title of his composition "Reverence" and his CD of the same name represent his humility and deep awareness of the Divine which ultimately his music was always in praise of.

Awards

 * 1) Best Solo Performance, Bordeaux Jazz Festival, 1979.

Discography

 * 1) CD "Reverence" [ASC CD34] 1999 - featuring Dave Saul (piano), Kenny Wheeler (trumpet/flugelhorn), Stan Sulzmann (saxes/flutes), Chris Laurence (bass) and Stuart Laurence (drums). Reviewed by Michael Tucker in JAZZ JOURNAL, SEPTEMBER 2000, VOL 53, No9, Duncan Heining in AVANT, Kenny Mathieson in JAZZWISE, MAY 2001 ISSUE 42, Pete Martin JAZZ UK MARCH/APRIL 2000, Dave Gelly in Master of Jazz Saxophone p183.