Over the past two decades saxophonist and composer Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson has crafted
an unmistakable sound that is deeply communicative. He has performed with leading
jazz artists on both sides of the Atlantic including: Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland,
Jeff Watts, Mark Turner, Geoff Keezer, Bheki Mseleku, Courtney Pine, Clark Tracey,
Gary Husband, Julian Joseph and others. Accepted into Berklee College of Music at
the age of 17, by 20 he had already recorded two albums ‘Emanon’ & ‘The Path’ featuring
many of the leading lights of British jazz including; Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello,
Steve Williamson and Cleveland Watkiss. Vaughan's recordings have been described
as “...an accomplished, powerful and spiritually uplifting..”. ‘The Gift’ followed
a year later and is imbued with a spirit of joy and release. To hear his music, one
can be in no doubt of his ability to engage the greatest depths of music. In 1999
Vaughan released ‘See You There’ featuring a stellar cast: South African pianist
Bheki Mseleku, Mark Mondesir on drums and Jeremy Brown on acoustic bass. Bheki was
to be an ideal companion to the searching sound of his music. The album and subsequent
tour cemented Vaughan’s reputation as a world class performer and was followed in
2001 by the live release of the band in fiery form ‘Live at The Wardrobe’. In 2005
Vaughan wrote ‘The Freedom Suite’ receiving its premier performance at The Purcell
Room in London with maestros Julian Joseph on piano and Gary Husband on drums. The
suite is dedicated to Aram Rawf at that time a Kurdish asylum seeker and close friend
of Vaughan’s fighting Home Office deportation to war torn Iraq.The immediacy of its
message of healing, hope and unity is a welcome response to the current social and
political landscape. (Aram after a ten year struggle now has full status). In 2007
Vaughan performed regularly with Asaf Sirkis on drums, Robert Mitchell on piano and
Malcolm Creese on Bass. Since 2008 Vaughan has focused on teaching and community
music in Kent.
