AB Workshops
Music Workshops – 07711 998058
🎷 Anna Brooks - Decoding the Blues 🎷🎷 3rd - 4th October 2026 🎷
East Dean & Friston Village Hall, Village Green Lane, East Dean, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 0DR
🎷 Anna Brooks - Decoding the Blues 🎷🎷 3rd - 4th October 2026 🎷
East Dean & Friston Village Hall, Village Green Lane, East Dean, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 0DR
On 3rd / 4th October 2026 AB Workshops welcome Anna Brooks, who will be running a two day workshop; Decoding the Blues.
Anna Brooks is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, music arranger, and recording artist, who has established herself as one of the leading female musicians in the UK’s jazz, funk, and pop scenes. As well as being a successful solo artist, she is a member of Jools Holland’s ‘Rhythm And Blues Orchestra’, (alto saxophone / vocals) and a former member the Brooklyn Funk Essentials (tenor saxophone / vocals).
With Jools’ 24-piece Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, Anna tours regularly and appears annually on BBC 2’s Hootenanny show (highlights include performing solos with Gregory Porter and Ruby Turner). With the band she has recorded 3 albums, including one with Sir Rod Stewart. With Jools’ four-piece band, Anna has toured Europe on tenor / soprano saxes and vocals alongside special guest KT Tunstall. With the Brooklyn Funk Essentials Anna toured worldwide, recording live shows for television and two studio albums – ‘Funk Ain’t Ova’ and ’Stay Good’. Anna has also featured in a solo spot on the BBC DJ and TV presenter Sarah Cox‘s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough ‘80s’ live show.
Anna’s impressive musical career includes serving as the musical director and saxophonist for both George Treadwell’s legendary group ‘The Drifters’ and Roy G. Hemmings’ ‘Dictionary Of Soul’. She also toured with ‘70s glam-rocker Roy Wood and Indian composer /violinist John Mayer’s ‘Indo-Jazz Fusions’. As lead alto saxophonist she performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival with the Walsall Jazz Orchestra and recorded two albums of their original music. Classically trained, she has also played on numerous occasions with The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. As a session musician, Anna has recorded saxophone and backing vocals for many artists, including most recently a track for Incognito’s forthcoming album.
Anna is endorsed by P.Mauriat Saxophones, and plays on a beautiful PMXA-67RBX 20th Anniversary 2023 Limited Edition tenor sax.
Anna’s skills as a music arranger and composer are highly regarded. She has arranged and prepared music for numerous BBC shows, including Dr. Who, Torchwood and Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny. For the latter, she has arranged music for artists including Self Esteem, Melanie C, and Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves). Anna has worked for notable clients including Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Katie Melua, as well as film producers Ridley Scott, Gurinder Chadhar and Kanbar Animation. She has composed original music for TV and independent film and arranged music for numerous theatre shows and bands. Additionally, she is the in-house transcriber for smoothjazzbackingtracks.com.
Overall, Anna Brooks’ illustrious career as a saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, and music arranger, along with her passion for music education, make her an esteemed and respected figure in the music industry.
On 3rd / 4th October 2026 AB Workshops welcome Anna Brooks, who will be running a two day workshop; Decoding the Blues.
Anna Brooks is an internationally acclaimed saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, music arranger, and recording artist, who has established herself as one of the leading female musicians in the UK’s jazz, funk, and pop scenes. As well as being a successful solo artist, she is a member of Jools Holland’s ‘Rhythm And Blues Orchestra’, (alto saxophone / vocals) and a former member the Brooklyn Funk Essentials (tenor saxophone / vocals).
With Jools’ 24-piece Rhythm And Blues Orchestra, Anna tours regularly and appears annually on BBC 2’s Hootenanny show (highlights include performing solos with Gregory Porter and Ruby Turner). With the band she has recorded 3 albums, including one with Sir Rod Stewart. With Jools’ four-piece band, Anna has toured Europe on tenor / soprano saxes and vocals alongside special guest KT Tunstall. With the Brooklyn Funk Essentials Anna toured worldwide, recording live shows for television and two studio albums – ‘Funk Ain’t Ova’ and ’Stay Good’. Anna has also featured in a solo spot on the BBC DJ and TV presenter Sarah Cox‘s ‘Just Can’t Get Enough ‘80s’ live show.
Anna is endorsed by P.Mauriat Saxophones, and plays on a beautiful PMXA-67RBX 20th Anniversary 2023 Limited Edition tenor sax.
Anna’s impressive musical career includes serving as the musical director and saxophonist for both George Treadwell’s legendary group ‘The Drifters’ and Roy G. Hemmings’ ‘Dictionary Of Soul’. She also toured with ‘70s glam-rocker Roy Wood and Indian composer /violinist John Mayer’s ‘Indo-Jazz Fusions’. As lead alto saxophonist she performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival with the Walsall Jazz Orchestra and recorded two albums of their original music. Classically trained, she has also played on numerous occasions with The City Of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. As a session musician, Anna has recorded saxophone and backing vocals for many artists, including most recently a track for Incognito’s forthcoming album.
Anna’s skills as a music arranger and composer are highly regarded. She has arranged and prepared music for numerous BBC shows, including Dr. Who, Torchwood and Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny. For the latter, she has arranged music for artists including Self Esteem, Melanie C, and Jim Moir (aka Vic Reeves). Anna has worked for notable clients including Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush and Katie Melua, as well as film producers Ridley Scott, Gurinder Chadhar and Kanbar Animation. She has composed original music for TV and independent film and arranged music for numerous theatre shows and bands. Additionally, she is the in-house transcriber for smoothjazzbackingtracks.com.
Overall, Anna Brooks’ illustrious career as a saxophonist, vocalist, musical director, and music arranger, along with her passion for music education, make her an esteemed and respected figure in the music industry.
Led by acclaimed saxophonist, arranger, and educator Anna Brooks, this two-day course is designed for woodwind and brass instrumentalists who want to feel more confident improvising and understand how blues and jazz musicians create expressive, authentic solos.
Through a balance of practical playing, listening, and creative exercises, you’ll explore:
– The 12-Bar Form & Harmony: Understand the structure at the heart of the blues, learn to hear and feel chord changes more instinctively, and explore techniques to help you navigate chord progressions with confidence.
– Scale Choices & Vocabulary: Discover how the blues scale and other melodic approaches can be used to create expressive, authentic-sounding solos.
– Rhythm, Groove & Time Feel: Strengthen your rhythmic awareness and learn how phrasing and timing bring solos to life.
– Tone & Expression: Experiment with articulation, dynamics, and expressive devices that capture the raw emotion of the blues.
– Improvising with Intention: Develop phrasing, shape, and storytelling in your solos through motif development and call-and-response.
Whether you’re new to improvising or looking to refresh your creative approach, this weekend will demystify the language of the blues and give you the tools to improvise with confidence, style, and soul.
“Agility, clarity and a beguiling vocalised quality. Her playing is as assured as it is polished”
— Chris Parker – Jazz Review
“An admirable technique and a musical elegance that’s evident in both her playing and her writing”
— Ken Cheetham – Jazz Views
- Based at East Dean & Friston Village Hall, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN20 0DR, with excellent facilities
- Two full days of tutor lead sessions, four sessions per day
- Suitable for the following instruments: Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet, Trumpet and Trombone
- Workshop runs from 10am – 4.30pm each day, with two 30 minute breaks and a 1 hour lunch break
- Optional: Lunch (including requirements such as vegetarian, gluten intolerance etc)
- Refreshments; Tea, coffee (including freshly made filter coffee), juices, a variety of biscuits, fresh pastries
- Prices range from £145-£170 for two days depending on instrument
- FREE parking
- Safe, simple, secure. We have now set it up for you to be able to book easier than ever before, simply BOOK ONLINE
- Payment plan scheme now available; pay £25 upfront and then pay monthly by direct debit for the balance
Alternatively if you have any questions on the suitability of this course for you we will be happy to help. Contact us at hello@abworkshops.com or by calling 07711 998058 and we will be happy to discuss your needs further.
Lunch is included if you choose that option when making the booking (including requirements such as vegetarian, gluten intolerance etc).
Arrive: 9.30am onwards
Session one: 10am – 11.15am
Morning break: 11.15am – 11.45am
Session two: 11.45am – 1pm
Lunch: 1pm – 2pm
Session three: 2pm – 3pm
Afternoon break: 3pm – 3.30pm
Session four: 3.30pm – 4.30pm
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