
Catherine Shrubshall
Musician
Catherine Shrubshall is an internationally renowned multi-reedist, known for her dynamic performances on the saxophone, clarinet, and other woodwind instruments. With a career spanning across jazz, classical, contemporary, and improvisational music, Catherine has graced stages around the world, collaborating with leading artists and ensembles. Her versatility as a live performer allows her to engage audiences in everything from intimate solo performances to large-scale events, making her a sought-after musician in both the UK and beyond.
Live freelance performer
Playing contrabass saxophone on the “Strange Cargo” tour with William Orbit
Backing Lovers Rock icon Barry Biggs at Hackney Empire
Touring with Wayne McGreggor and Shobanah Jeyasingh dance projects – incl: BBC documentary “In-between”
Opening the 1st Royal Festival Hall’s “Meltdown Festival” with “Hoketus” by Louis Andreisson
Playing in contemporary productions at the National Theatre incl: “The Skriker” and “Mother Courage”
Playing for the “Hilde Holger Dance Project” (mixed ability dance company) incl: performances in Vienna and London Theatre venues
Live Radio & TV performances
Radio 4’s “Excess Baggage” and London Radio’s Arts Show talking about the “Fathers Footsteps” project
Guesting on BBC2’s “Later….with Jools Holland”
Saturday morning childrens’ TV programme “Parallel 9” with various artists
“The Chart Show” with “Izit”
Live recordings for Radio 3 and Classic FM
Band leader
“Powdered Rhino Horns” - rare groove jazz
“Hoot” - funky jazz
“Life on Venus” - poppy jazz
Ensemble Member
“Izit” - half of the horn section for acid jazz band incl: international live gigs and several albums – founder member
“Open Circle” - writing and performing music for original collaborative theatre pieces
“Floral Harmony” - music that links to nature
“Road 2 Trio” - light classical chamber group – incl: British Council funded tour to Europe
“Icebreaker” - contemporary music ensemble - incl: Arts Council CMN tour and “Bang on a Can” Festival”NY)
“Flying Gorillas” - devising music and performing with this dance project - incl: research project in South America with indigenous tribes
“The Street Scorpions” - baritone sax bass lines form this acoustic street band – incl: gala night at Chelsea Flower Show
“Tricksy Trobairitz” – improvised street theatre, story telling and contemporary opera
Free Improvisation collaborator
Improvising for a performances with poet Don Share at the Swindon Poetry Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wy3R6jlVLBc
Being rowed around the Highgate Ladies Pond while improvising for the “Healing Water Celebrations”
Free Improvisation gigs in Italy with “The Franco Fergusson Collective”
Pop up gallery appearances as a strolling clarinetist with the “Tree Players” artists collective – incl: the “Anti-Gallery Gallery Show 2015” at the Espacio Gallery in London
Taking the “Fathers Footsteps” exhibition soundtrack to venues as a live improvisation project: Soundcloud Link
Musician in Residence
Darlington Summer School –Instrumentalist for the advanced Composition course with Louis Andreisson
Composed and arranged incidental music for theatre productions at “Oval House Theatre” in London
Recording artist
“Stories” – various labels
“The Whole Affair” – Quattro
“The Imaginary Man” – Quattro
“Totally Wired” volumes 2 & 8 – Acid Jazz
“Deep Heat” vol 6 – Acid Jazz
The Powdered Rhino Horns: - “Blow Job” – Tongue & Groove & Quattro
Main Street People: - “Music, Sex & Mathematics” – Yo Mama/Boombastic
Icebreaker: - “Terminal Velocity” – Argo (Decca) - “Trance” – Argo (Decca)
Ben Reed - “Station Masters” – Gare du Nord Records
Shriekback -“Glory Bumps” Soundcloud Link
Martin Pyne - “insomnia” Soundcloud Link
Other freelance work:
Function and corporate work - incl: the City of London Corporation
Session player - incl: BBC series “The Crouches”)
Regional Theatre - incl: Bolton Hexagon, and Chichester Festival)
Regular deputising for other groups - incl: “Saxology” saxophone quartet https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq5waPmJoWmM2gipQk4qcww
Label manager for “Pig and Trumpet” and “Tongue and Groove” independent record labels
Artist model for a north London artist collective -incl: painting used for “The Girl” - a novel by Maria Straw-Cinar
Workshops for SPNM (The society for the Promotion of New Music) – working with compositions by young composers
