Soweto Kinch | |
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Background information | |
Born |
London, England, UK |
10 January 1978
Origin | London, England, UK |
Genres | Jazz, hip hop |
Instruments | Alto saxophone, rap vocals, vocals |
Soweto Kinch (born 10 January 1978) is a British jazz alto saxophonist and rapper.
Born in London, England, to a Barbadian father, playwright Don Kinch, and British-Jamaican actress Yvette Harris, Kinch began playing saxophone at the age of nine after learning clarinet at Allfarthing Primary School, Wandsworth, SW London. He then moved to Birmingham, where he attended West House Primary School in Edgbaston, beginning a long association with Britain's second city.
After meeting Wynton Marsalis four years later he discovered and became passionate about jazz, first concentrating on piano and later, in his teens, switching to alto saxophone as his main instrument. He attended Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire, from the age of 13 through to completing his A levels at 18. Early musical influences include the eminent vocalist and percussionist Frank Holder. Kinch went on to study Modern History at Hertford College, Oxford University.
In 2001 Kinch established the Soweto Kinch Trio, with bassist Michael Olatuja and drummer Troy Miller, which supported Courtney Pine at the former Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Birmingham, and performed at the Royal Festival Hall and the Cheltenham International Jazz Festival.