John Helliwell - Saxophonist

The very latest news

Rick Davies - 1944 / 2025

I knew Rick for fifty two years. He shaped my life in many ways, most notably musically. His talent for writing and playing was boundless - he was the finest musician I have known. He was also quirky, frustrating and funny: when I first met him he was wrapped in a space blanket, when we roomed together he used to really bug me by stealing my toothpaste and squeezing the tube from the wrong end, he had a quirky turn of phrase - eg. “As crazy as a cross-eyed clockwork cuckoo on a cricket pitch.” When he played, it was always absolutely spot-on, from the heart, and with precise timing - no frills - he captured the very essence of the music that he usually had composed himself. I was proud to be the “best man” at his wedding to Sue. We were both jazz lovers - we played 50s and 60s hard-bop and soul artists such as Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Lou Donaldson when we were hanging out. I feel honoured to have known and played with him.

…..“From Now On”….. “It’s A Hard World”…..

Photo book

John Helliwell’s photography book "Room with a view" is now available! A collection of hotel views room's pictures during Supertramp's 1977 tour.

Super big tramp band new album

John Helliwell’s Super Big Tramp Band's new album - released digitally on April 11th 2025.
The CD will be available on May 23rd, 2025 and LP on August 8th, 2025...

An 18 piece big band playing the music of Supertramp instrumentally!

Summer rain

I have a tune with Mathis Richter-Reichhelm released! Have a look/listen...

Don't Ever Leave Me

I have been recording for a new album out in November, last year — "Don't Ever Leave Me" with three great Dutch jazzmen — Jasper Somsen on bass, Marcel Serierse on drums, and Hans Vroomans on piano. 15 tunes - 18 tracks - we liked one so much that we played it four times!

Biography

Everybody knows about the famous frontman playing saxophones and telling jokes at the Supertramp concerts... But who is John, the real John ?

John Anthony Helliwell was born into a musical family in the Yorkshire town of Todmorden on the 15 th February 1945 just 4 months after another musically famous Todmordarian, Keith Emerson, of Emerson, Lake and Palmer fame.

Exposure to music in the Helliwell home was virtually instantaneous. Family members were involved in every type of music from church to local Gilbert and Sullivan productions. John’s parents duly ensured that their young lad received the usual childhood piano and recorder lessons but none of these musical stimuli proved very inspirational to him and it was left to the jazz record collection of a family friend to prompt our small hero to start his quest for a clarinet...

Upcoming Concerts

09/10/2025
TEATRINO DI VILLA LAFRANCHI
Duo performances & interview with Raimondo Meli Lupi
Santa Martia del piano (Parma)

10/10/2025
FELTRINELLI LIBRERIE
Public interview with Raimondo Meli Lupi
Parma

11/10/2025
LOCOMOTIVE CLUB
Trio performance with Raimondo Meli Lupi and Gianmarco Scaglia (The Bari sessions)
Bologna

12/10/2025
TEATRO CRYSTAL
Trio performance with Raimondo Meli Lupi and Gianmarco Scaglia (The Bari sessions)
Collecchio (Parma)

Enjoy a new experience on Supertramp's tracks performed by a big band: The Super Big Tramp Band! The line-up is the usual jazz big band instrumentation - trumpets, trombones, saxophones and rhythm section. We play versions of Supertramp tunes, arranged by members of the band, with me as the chief soloist. No vocals.

John Helliwell’s Super Big Tramp Band's new album - released digitally on April 11th 2025
The CD will be available in May 2025 and LP on August 8th, 2025.

Upcoming concerts: The Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. May 24th 2025 CANCELLED
[ RNCM | Manchester Jazz Festival]

Here's a quote from David Porter from the Hull Jazz Festival show last month: "A sell-out triumph, full-bodied and exciting, funny and touching. It will suit larger festivals and concert halls. It's quality, it's class & it's commercial. Seldom have tickets flown off the shelf so quickly. 2 shows next time, please!"