Biography of Mike Osborne

Mike Osborne (1941-2007) was an alto saxophonist without a peer among his fellow country men, a musician of profound personality with a gift for jazz composition. Mike was first heard in the sixties as a soloist of incendiary character in the Mike Westbrook Concert Band, and his never less than passionate sound was ubiquitous through the heyday of British Jazz in the seventies. He recorded and performed extensively with the leading composers of the era; Chris McGregor, Michael Gibbs, and Barry Guy. With John Surman and Alan Skidmore, "Ozzie" as he was affectionately known by friends, formed the celebrated saxophone trio SOS, while also leading numerous bands under his own name. It's no secret that Mike Osborne suffered schizophrenia and in 1983 circumstances forced his retreat from London, robbing both Mike and his audience of further music making.