John Surman

John Douglas Surman (born 30 August 1944) is an English jazz saxophone, clarinet, and synthesizer player, and composer of free jazz and modal jazz. He is known for incorporating themes from folk music into his compositions. Surman gained recognition in the mid-1960s playing the baritone saxophone in the Mike Westbrook Band and later playing soprano saxophone and bass clarinet. He has collaborated with various jazz bandleaders including Mike Westbrook, Graham Collier, and Alexis Korner. Surman has composed and performed music for dance performances and film soundtracks. In 1969, he founded The Trio with bassist Barre Phillips and drummer Stu Martin, and in the mid-1970s, he formed the saxophone group S.O.S.