Alan Skidmore

Skidmore's aim was "to do something similar to Coltrane's Ballads album with an orchestra" : he has succeeded triumphantly.

Chris Parker, The Times

Superb account of 13 of the ballad staples of the jazz repertoire played with exquisite concern for tone and texture by a saxophone powerhouse of the sixties and seventies UK jazz scene. Skidmore's utter devotion to the work of John Coltrane has given his music a weight and emotional impact achieved by all too few of the American hero's disciples. The arrangement are mostly unsentimentally exquisite and while this is a genre not all jazz admirers can handle it's the classiest late night listening imaginable. John Fordham, The Guardian

Of all John Coltrane's tenor saxophone disciples, Alan Skidmore is the one who best understands the great man's lyricism. For this eloquent set of ballads, he is accompanied by full orchestra and the lush setting complements his warm tone to perfection.

Dave Gelly, The Observer

Alan Skidmore's playing in After the Rain is a miracle of sustained poise, inspiration and feeling. Skidmore's huge and mellow tenor sax sound in the lower register and his control of the quiet singing tone in the often extreme upper register are juxtaposed to great effect on his superb rendering of melody on 'Too Young to Go Steady' and in his ensuing solo. His love of each piece shines through and while his main improvised phrases seem passionately sculpted, his quiet asides or afterthoughts have an extraordinary potency. Ian Carr, BBC Music Magazine

I must confess to having been totally bowled over by this really beautiful, somewhat unexpected disc. Alan Skidmore's gentle readings in this collection of top flight ballads are nothing short of wondrous.

Ken Rattenbury, Crescendo and Jazz Music

About After the Rain

What the media says