British composer, arranger, and saxophonist Al Lloyd has become a regular name on today’s UK Jazz and Soul music scene. Based in the South West, he works regularly with ensembles in the area and all over the UK, and runs his Big Band (Al Lloyd & His Orchestra) based in Exeter.
Beginning his career as a saxophonist, Al cut his teeth playing in the sax section for legendary British band leader and jazz composer Mike Westbrook and played on recording sessions with members of Motown’s legendary house band, the Funk Brothers.
As well as playing saxophone, Al is a prolific composer and arranger, regularly penning compositions and writing arrangements for his various bands and undertaking commissions. He has achieved several chart entries with songs he has written for UK soul artists. These include former Drifters lead singers Steve V. King and Michael Williams, Hayley-Ria Christian, the Soul Connection Orchestra and most notably UK soul singer Dayton Grey, whom Lloyd achieved 3 chart entries on the Amazon R&B charts (including 2 consecutive number 1’s) as well as a Top 20 UK Soul Chart Hit. As well as being featured on the BBC and other national radio stations, his work has been released on labels including Warner X5, SoulMusicRecords, and on vinyl by Cordial Recordings.
As an arranger, alongside writing charts for his Big Band, Al has written arrangements for such artists as the Drifters, the Chairmen of the Board, Steve V. King and others. He also studied with some of music’s greatest arrangers including Motown arranger McKinley Jackson (former Musical Director for Marvin Gaye and the Temptations) and New York arranger Dennis ‘Doc’ Williams, who served as arranger for artists like the O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass and Gladys Knight. This allowed Al to work alongside iconic acts such as the Four Tops, the Temptations and the O’Jays whilst he shadowed and studied with these arrangers.
He has recorded 3 albums as a bandleader in addition to the recordings he has done for other artists and regularly tours and performs with various artists around the UK.
Beginning his career as a saxophonist, Al cut his teeth playing in the sax section for legendary British band leader and jazz composer Mike Westbrook and played on recording sessions with members of Motown’s legendary house band, the Funk Brothers.
As well as playing saxophone, Al is a prolific composer and arranger, regularly penning compositions and writing arrangements for his various bands and undertaking commissions. He has achieved several chart entries with songs he has written for UK soul artists. These include former Drifters lead singers Steve V. King and Michael Williams, Hayley-Ria Christian, the Soul Connection Orchestra and most notably UK soul singer Dayton Grey, whom Lloyd achieved 3 chart entries on the Amazon R&B charts (including 2 consecutive number 1’s) as well as a Top 20 UK Soul Chart Hit. As well as being featured on the BBC and other national radio stations, his work has been released on labels including Warner X5, SoulMusicRecords, and on vinyl by Cordial Recordings.
As an arranger, alongside writing charts for his Big Band, Al has written arrangements for such artists as the Drifters, the Chairmen of the Board, Steve V. King and others. He also studied with some of music’s greatest arrangers including Motown arranger McKinley Jackson (former Musical Director for Marvin Gaye and the Temptations) and New York arranger Dennis ‘Doc’ Williams, who served as arranger for artists like the O’Jays, Teddy Pendergrass and Gladys Knight. This allowed Al to work alongside iconic acts such as the Four Tops, the Temptations and the O’Jays whilst he shadowed and studied with these arrangers.
He has recorded 3 albums as a bandleader in addition to the recordings he has done for other artists and regularly tours and performs with various artists around the UK.
