The showman
SAXOPHONE PLAYER
Birth date: February, 1945
Birth place: Todmorden, ENGLAND
From the JOHN HELLIWELL website : (2010)
I was born in Todmorden, West Yorkshire, England (U.F.O. centre of the U.K. ) in 1945 and grew up, rather sheltered from the big world, in the quite austere 1950s. I sang in the church choir and had piano lessons for a year at age nine.
After hearing Monty Sunshine play “Petite Fleur” with Chris Barber’s Jazz Band, I was inspired, and saved up for two years to buy a clarinet for £15 when I was thirteen. I soon began to appreciate “modern” jazz and bought a saxophone two years later.
My inspirations then were Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Miles Davis and Art Blakey.
When I left school I went to Birmingham to work as a computer programmer. There I played with various bands and groups including “The Dicemen” (we wore “Beatle” suits with trousers so tight we had to be lifted on to the stage) and “Jugs O’Henry” with whom I turned professional in 1965. “Jugs..” was short-lived, and, after putting an advertisement in the “Melody Maker” music weekly which read “Have sax, will travel”, I joined “The Alan Bown Set” with whom I spent six years.
We made several albums, played thousands of gigs, and had the singers Jess Roden, Gordon Neville and Robert Palmer.
Our music progressed (or regressed, depending on your point-of-view) from soul music to quite free jazzy rock, calling in on flower-power and psychedelia on the way.
BREAKFAST IN SPAIN INFO:
Please read the interesting INTERVIEW I made to John in 2003 in Manchester, near his home.
Por favor, leer esta interesante ENTREVISTA que le hice a John en 2003 en Manchester, cerca de su casa.
LATEST PROJECTS:
John was (and still is) working for many projects over the years appart of Supertramp. Diana Ross or Pink Floyd for instance.
John was playing for Roger Hodgson in his live album «Rites of passage» in 1996.
John was also involved in the GAIA project (Alan Simon) in 2003/2004 together with Jesse Siebenberg (Supertramp) and Andrew Hodgson (Roger’s son) among other artists. Within this project John was playing with Roger Hodgson again in Zurich, Art on Ice show in 2004. (See the Roger’s tours section)
John was playing on 4 tracks for Excalibur II project , CD released year 2007.
John is the saxophone player during Tour Excalibur, the celtic Opera, 2009-2011 (see below) German Tour in 2010
John featuring Alan Parsons live Project at the Olympia in Paris, first of June 2010 (see below)
John was playing on several tracks for Excalibur III project, recorded in 2010 and released year 2011. German Tour in 2011
John was playing on several tracks for Excalibur IV project, recorded in 2016
John is collaborating in some projects by Alan Simon, and also playing with Leslie Mandolki (2018-2019 and more…..)
John and Jesse Siebenberg are playing in «Rock meets Classic 2018»
John announces a new album in May 2020: EVER OPEN DOOR
John announces a new album in Oct 2022: DON’T EVER LEAVE ME
John and Jesse Siebenberg are playing in «Rock meets Classic 2024»
John and Jesse Siebenberg are playing in the «Mandoki Soulmates» tour 2024
John announces a new album in April 2025: SUPER BIG TRAMP BAND
But, a special musical project for John is his own jazz band, called «Creme Anglaise». Mark Hart (Supertramp) is collaborating also on this band. The band performed several shows until now and a CD was released in 2005.
All Helliwell collaborations (source: The Dude and B.I.S)
1977 «Bad Reputation» Thin Lizzy
1979 «The Old Pals Act» Peter Bennett
1979 «Rendez Vous» Cano
1980 «Eastern Wind» Chris De Burgh
1981 «Deception Is An Art» Ali Thomson
1984 «Positif» Jean-Jacques Goldman
1986 «Giants In Our Own Room» Bob Siebenberg
1987 «A Momentary Lapse Of Reason» Pink Floyd
1989 «Show Of Hands» Show Of Hands
1989 «The Long Shot» Heads Up
1989 «Say Something Good» River City People
1990 «Shortshop» Sara Hickman
1991 «The Force Behind The Power» Diana Ross
1996 «Bang !» Andy Scott & Sax Assault
1997 «Rites Of Passage» Roger Hodgson
2003 «Gaïa» Alan Simon
2004 «River To The Sea» Simon Apple
2005 «Angola» Lulendo
2006 «Dreamscape» dB-Infusion
2007 «Excalibur II – The Celtic Ring» Alan Simon
2007 «Sax Of Gold» Andy Scott’s SaxAssault
2010 «Excalibur III – The Origins» by Alan Simon
2010 » Island kids» Skilda
2012 «The Legends Tour» Alan Simon CANCELLED
2016 «Excalibur IV – «The Dark age of the Dragon» by Alan Simon
2018 «Rock Meets Classic» Tour
2018 «Big Band Supertramp»
2019 Some Alan Simon projects and gigs, and Leslie Mandoki
2020 «Ever Open Door» New album
2022 «Don’t ever leave me» New album
2024 «Rock Meets Classic» Tour
2024 «Mandoki Soulmates» Tour
2025 «Super Big Tramp Band» New album
JOHN HELLIWELL
CREME ANGLAISE Show in GIVERNY, 11th September 2005
REVIEW AND PHOTOS
Latest shows, 2009
John Helliwell and his jazz band called «Crème Anglaise»
are performing several shows in U.K. this month (March 2009):
March 7th – Halifax, W. Yorkshire, U.K. – Square Chapel – 7.30 pm.
www.squarechapel.co.uk/events/index.htm
March 18th – Settle, N. Yorkshire U.K. – The Victoria Hall – 8.00 pm.
March 19th – Settle, N. Yorkshire U.K. – The Victoria Hall – 8.00 pm.
www.settlevictoriatheatre.co.uk
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In the summer 2009 John played with Alan Simon’s Excaliburproject (www.excalibur-show.com) in Kaltenberg, near Munich, an Italian jazz tour with Raimondo Meli Lupi’s Open Frontiers Quartet, and several concerts with Andy Scott’s Sax Assault in the UK. John recorded some songs for a CD with Raimondo Meli Lupi (guitar) and Fausto Beccalossi (accordion) in Parma, Italy in early August.
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John will join Leslie ManDoki’s «Soulmates» in Berlin (August 28th) and Gyor, Hungary (August 29th) for concerts to celebrate the relase of the «Soulmates II» CD.
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Latest shows, 2010
John will perform again with Alan Simon’s Excaliburproject (www.excalibur-show.com) in January 2010, Excalibur II – The Celtic Ring
02/01/2010 – Bremen AWD Dome
04/01/2010 – Mannheim SAP Arena
07/01/2010 – Hamburg Colorline Arena
08/01/2010 – Leipzig Arena
09/01/2010 – Hannover TUI Arena
13/01/2010 – Munich Olympiahalle
16/01/2010 – Berlin Max-Schmeling-Halle
18/01/2010 – Cologne Lanxess Arena
19/01/2010 – Stuttgart Schleyerhalle
21/01/2010 – Zurich Hallenstadion
22/01/2010 – Oberhausen Arena
23/01/2010 – Frankfurt Festhalle
26/01/2010 – Nuremberg Arena Nürnberger Versicherung
Show in Cologne January 18, please see my own REVIEW & PHOTOS
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Paris, June 1, 2010
John featuring Alan Parsons Live Project at the Olympia. John perfomed 3 songs during the show.
Please see my own REVIEW & PHOTOS
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Manchester, July 23, 2010
John Helliwell officially launching the jazz festival playing a melody of notes stuck to a stave by members of the audience. Funny !
John Helliwell hizo la presentación del festival interpretando una melodía de notas musicales que el público había escrito al azar.
See the VIDEO / Ver el VIDEO
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Supertramp tour, September – November, 2010
John Helliwell joined his band mates for the «Supertramp 70-10» tour around Europe.
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** Interview JULY 2010** (Excalibur Trilogy journal)
** Interview OCTOBER 2010 ** (Classic Rock)
** Interview OCTOBER 2010 ** (Penny black music)
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Excalibur Live, 2011
John is performing again with Alan Simon’s Excaliburproject (www.excalibur-show.com) in January 2011, Excalibur III – The origins
The tour dates of EXCALIBUR III:
14.01.2011 – Berlin, Max-Schmeling-Halle. See the VIDEO
15.01.2011 – Hannover, TUI-Arena
16.01.2011 – Dortmund, Westfalenhalle
24.03.2011 – Erfurt, Messehalle
26.03.2011 – Frankfurt, Festhalle
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Excalibur Live, 2016
John is part again of the Excalibur project, The dark age of the Dragon, by Alan Simon. German tour in January 2016. With Jesse Siebenberg
See our Report (Berlin December 13th of December) and Tour Dates
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Asfalto, 2017/2018
John has colaborated with the spanish band «Asfalto». He played 3 gigs in Madrid, Tarragona and Barcelona
See our Report (Barcelona 27th of January 2018)
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Rock Meets Classic, 2018
John is part of the Rock meets Classic tour 2018, with Jesse Siebenberg
See our Report (Zurich, April 9)
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Big Band Supertramp, 2018
John leads the epic Storyhouse big band for a set of special arrangements of Supertramp’s biggest and best songs.
See our Report (Chester, July 13)
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Rock Meets Classic, 2024
John is part of the Rock meets Classic tour 2024, with Jesse Siebenberg
See our Report (Nuremberg, April 20)
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Mandoki Soulmates, 2024
John is part of the «Mandoki Soulmates» tour 2024, with Jesse Siebenberg
See our Report (Munich, August 15)
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Ever Open Door, 2025
Intimate concert in Manchester.
See our Report (Manchester, November 8)
MAC