Chelsea Carmichael

Chelsea Carmichael, a saxophonist, arranger, and composer born in Manchester, makes her home in Lewisham within South East London. Deeply embedded in Britain’s expanding modern jazz community, she tours regularly with Theon Cross, Courtney Pine, and Joe Armon-Jones. Her introduction to the instrument occurred at Culcheth High School through its swing band.

Although she initially requested a violin from her father, he supplied a piano instead. As her musical interests developed, jazz drew her in, prompting a switch to tenor saxophone while she continued composing at the keyboard. After completing studies at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, she took the role of musical director for the NYJO Jazz Messengers.

Two singles emerged in 2018 alongside Lucy Lu and Puma Blue. The following year she entered Cassie Kinoshi’s ten-piece SEED Ensemble for the recording of Driftglass, and she has appeared with both the Nu Civilisation Orchestra and Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. Session work also included Moses Boyd’s Dark Matter and Emma-Jean Thackray’s Yellow.

Carmichael fronts her own four-piece Chelsea Carmichael Ensemble and oversees a separate project focused on live presentations of John Coltrane’s Giant Steps. One night saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings caught her quartet in an opening slot; sufficiently impressed, he offered a contract on his new Native Rebel Recordings imprint and produced the resulting debut, The River Doesn’t Like Strangers, issued in October 2021.