EDUCATION

Charlie took up the soprano sax aged 6, inspired by his father, a good amateur saxophonist. In 2012, he began formal music studies at Chetham’s School of Music, a specialist Manchester school for under-18s. During his eight years at “Chet’s”, he studied saxophone with Iain Dixon and Jim Muirhead, becoming proficient in alto, tenor, soprano and baritone saxes.

In 2020, Charlie reached the semi-final of BBC Young Jazz Musician, moved to London and enrolled at the Royal Academy of Music as one of nine jazz students in his class. During his four years at RAM, he studied primarily with Stan Sulzmann and Martin Speake, and performed in educational settings with Dave Holland and Ingrid Jensen. He graduated with First Class Honours (BMus) in summer 2024.

Beyond his combined 12 years of studies at Chetham’s and RAM, Charlie was privileged to receive mentorship from the late Richie Beirach. Through Beirach, he got the opportunity to study with NEA Jazz Master Dave Liebman. Independent of Beirach and Liebman, Charlie also received mentoring from their former cohort, the drummer Jeff Williams. 

SELECTED PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS

• London Jazz Orchestra – concerts at Vortex Jazz Club and Morley College, 2023-24 | lead alto saxophone (dep)

• James Taylor Quartet + Orchestra – concerts at Cadogan Hall (2023) & Barbican Hall (2024) | baritone saxophone

• Steven Nichols – debut album From Dust (Ubuntu Music, 2024) | tenor saxophone, co-producer, co-writer on 3/7 tracks

• Regina Litvinova International Sextet feat. Alex Sipiagin – Shapes of 4 live at Jazz am Rhein, June 2024 | tenor/soprano saxophone

• Christian Scheuber 65th Birthday/Memorial Concert, November 2025, feat. Adam Nussbaum (drums) with Regina Litvinova (piano) & Jean Yves-Jung | tenor saxophone, MD

• Jeff Williams Quartet feat. Charlie Rees – Salute to John Coltrane at 100 concert with Regina Litvinova (piano) & Niklas Lukassen (bass) at Vortex Jazz Club, January 2026 | tenor/soprano saxophones, MD

• Celebrating John Coltrane at 100 – live at Jazz im Park, June 2026, with Adam Nussbaum, Regina Litvinova & Niklas Lukassen | tenor saxophone, MD

• Martin Speake Big Band – debut album Hidden Vision (Pumpkin Records, 2026) and launch at Pizza Express Soho, June 2026 | tenor/soprano saxophones, arranger, co-producer

Other notable performances alongside Richie Beirach, Sirius Quartet, Emil Viklický, Tobias Frohnhöfer, Cotatcha Orchestra and Sensations Band.