Chris Batchelor is a jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

 trumpeter and composer. He gained his first professional experience with Dudu Pukwana

Dudu Pukwana

Mtutuzel Dudu Pukwana was a South African saxophonist, composer and pianist .-Early years in South Africa:...

's Zila aged 17, at the suggestion of Harry Beckett

Harry Beckett

Harold Winston "Harry" Beckett was a British trumpeter and flugelhorn player.-Biography:A resident in the UK since 1954, Harry Beckett had an international reputation. In 1961, he played with Charles Mingus in the film All Night Long. In the 1960s he worked and recorded within the band of bass...

. He subsequently became a founder member,composer and soloist with Loose Tubes

Loose Tubes

Loose Tubes was a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to bethe focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz...

, contributing many pieces to the repertoire of the band from 1984-1990. He was also very active at this time as a member of legendary world music trailblazers 3 Mustaphas 3

3 Mustaphas 3

3 Mustaphas 3 is a British World music band formed in 1982. Core members are Ben Mandelson , Tim Fienburgh Colin Bass , and Nigel Watson , around which orbit many other Mustaphas – all supposed to be the nephews of Uncle Patrel Mustapha...

, as well as enjoying a varied diet of gigs with Chris McGregor

Chris McGregor

Christopher McGregor , was a South African jazz pianist, bandleader and composer born in Somerset West, South Africa.- Early influences :...

's Brotherhood of Breath, Congolese soukous band Taxi Pata Pata and Ashley Slater

Ashley Slater

Ashley Slater is a UK based trombone player and best known for his work with Norman Cook in the band Freak Power. He was born in Schefferville, Canada in 1961...

's Microgroove.

As a sideman, Chris has appeared alongside many international stars, such as Michael Brecker

Michael Brecker

Michael Leonard Brecker was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. Acknowledged as "a quiet, gentle musician widely regarded as the most influential tenor saxophonist since John Coltrane," he has been awarded 15 Grammy Awards as both performer and composer and was inducted into Down Beat Jazz...

, Sam Rivers

Sam Rivers

Samuel Carthorne Rivers , is an American jazz musician and composer. He performs on soprano and tenor saxophones, bass clarinet, flute, harmonica and piano....

, Hermeto Pascoal

Hermeto Pascoal

Hermeto Pascoal is a Brazilian composer and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in Lagoa da Canoa, Alagoas, Brazil. Pascoal is a greatly beloved musical figure in the history of Brazilian music, known for his abilities at orchestration and improvisation, as well as being a record producer and...

, John Taylor

John Taylor (jazz)

John Taylor is a British jazz pianist; he has occasionally performed on the organ and the synthesiser. He is one of Europe's most celebrated jazz pianists and composers.-Performing career:...

 and the Jazz Passengers with Deborah Harry

Debbie Harry

Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...

. He has enjoyed a long term playing partnership with altoist Steve Buckley

Steve Buckley

Steve Buckley is a British jazz musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who is most often heard playing alto, soprano and tenor saxophones, penny whistle and bass clarinet....

 in their bands Orchestra Rafiki, Buckley /Batchelor Quartet and most recently with their award winning international collaboration Big Air, featuring New York based Myra Melford

Myra Melford

Myra Melford is a jazz pianist and composer. In recent years, Melford has begun playing the harmonium as well as piano.Melford grew up in the Chicago area...

 and Jim Black

Jim Black

Jim Black is a jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas, among others. He attended Berklee College of Music....

.

The music that Buckley and Batchelor wrote for the Jazz on 3 commission that brought Big Air together subsequently won them a BBC Jazz Award for Best New Work in 2001. Their 2009 release entitled Big Air was described by Brian Morton

Brian Morton

Brian Morton may refer to:*Brian Morton , American academic and novelist*Brian Morton , Scottish broadcaster, journalist and writer, who is most widely known as a jazz critic*Brian Morton...

 in Jazz Journal as "the best British jazz record for 20 years". In November 2009, Batchelor was selected to receive the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Award for Composers.

As leader

• 1994: Whole & The Half - with Steve Buckley
  Steve Buckley
  Steve Buckley is a British jazz musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who is most often heard playing alto, soprano and tenor saxophones, penny whistle and bass clarinet....
  
  
• 1999: "Life As We Know it" with Steve Buckley
  Steve Buckley
  Steve Buckley is a British jazz musician. He is a multi-instrumentalist who is most often heard playing alto, soprano and tenor saxophones, penny whistle and bass clarinet....
  
  
• 2009: "Big Air"

As sideman

With Loose Tubes

Loose Tubes

Loose Tubes was a British jazz big band/orchestra active during the mid-to-late 1980s. Critically and popularly acclaimed, the band was considered to bethe focal point of a 1980s renaissance in British jazz...

• Loose Tubes
  Loose Tubes (album)
  Loose Tubes is the debut album by the English big band Loose Tubes, that was released on the Loose Tubes Limited record label as an LP in 1985...
  
  (1985)
• Delightful Precipice (1986)
• Open Letter
  Open Letter (Loose Tubes album)
  Open Letter is the third album by the English big band Loose Tubes, that was released on the EG label in 1988.Allmusic gives the album 3 out of 5 stars.-Track listing:# "Sweet Williams" – 8:54...
  
  (1988)

With Billy Jenkins

Billy Jenkins

Billy Jenkins is an English blues guitarist, composer, and bandleader.Initially Jenkins became famous as a member of Burlesque, then as part of Trimmer & Jenkins. A short period he followed as a member of Ginger Baker's Nutters. For several years, he ran Wood Wharf Studios...

• Scratches of Spain
  Scratches of Spain
  Scratches of Spain is an album by the English guitarist and bandleader Billy Jenkins, featuring the Voice of God Collective. It was released on the Babel Records label in 1987.-Track listing:# "Monkey Men" – 6:15# "Cuttlefish" – 6:09...
  
  (1987)