John William Frank Critchinson, "Critch", is an English jazz pianist. He was born in east London, 24 December 1934.
In the early 50s he worked, as a part-time musician, with Ronnie Scott

Ronnie Scott

Ronnie Scott was an English jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz club owner.-Life and career:Ronnie Scott was born in Aldgate, east London, into a family of Russian Jewish descent on his father's side, and Portuguese antecedents on his mother's. Scott began playing in small jazz clubs at the age of...

, Tubby Hayes

Tubby Hayes

Edward Brian "Tubby" Hayes was an English jazz multi-instrumentalist, best known for his tenor saxophone playing in groups with fellow sax player Ronnie Scott and with trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest British jazz instrumentalists.- Early life :Hayes was born...

, Jimmy Deuchar

Jimmy Deuchar

James "Jimmy" Deuchar was a jazz trumpeter and big band arranger, born in Dundee, Scotland. He found fame as a performer and arranger in the 1950s and 1960s...

, among others. In 1979, at the recommendation of his mentor, Bill Le Sage

Bill Le Sage

Bill Le Sage, born William A. Le Sage, born London - died , London, was a British pianist, vibraphonist, arranger, composer and bandleader. His credits include the score for the 1960 film The Tell-Tale Heart....

, he joined Ronnie Scott's Quartet and stayed until it ceased working in 1995. During that time he worked with many visiting American artists including Chet Baker

Chet Baker

Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker, Jr. was an American jazz trumpeter, flugelhornist and singer.Though his music earned him a large following , Baker's popularity was due in part to his "matinee idol-beauty" and "well-publicized drug habit."He died in 1988 in Amsterdam, the...

, George Coleman

George Coleman

George Edward Coleman is an American hard bop saxophonist, bandleader, and composer, known chiefly for his work with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock in the 1960s.-Biography:...

, James Moody

James Moody (saxophonist)

James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...

, Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson

Joe Henderson was an American jazz tenor saxophonist. In a career spanning more than forty years Henderson played with many of the leading American players of his day and recorded for several prominent labels, including Blue Note.-Early life:From a very large family with five sisters and nine...

 and Johnny Griffin

Johnny Griffin

John Arnold Griffin III was an American bop and hard bop tenor saxophonist.- Early life and career :Griffin studied music at DuSable High School in Chicago under Walter Dyett, starting out on clarinet before moving on to oboe and then alto sax...

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In the early 80s he was also associated with the British jazz fusion duo Morrissey-Mullen, appearing on two of their albums. He also recorded with Dick Morrissey

Dick Morrissey

Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...

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In 1995, Critchinson formed a Quartet with Art Themen

Art Themen

Arthur Edward George 'Art' Themen is a British jazz saxophonist .Themen was born on 26 November 1939 in Manchester. In 1958 he began his medical studies at the University of Cambridge, going on in 1961 to complete his studies at St Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, qualifying in 1964...

 on saxophone, Dave Green on bass and Dave Barry on drums. When Scott died in 1996, Critchinson formed the Ronnie Scott Legacy with Pat Crumly on saxophone and flute. More recently he has been playing and recording with saxophonist Simon Spillett

Simon Spillett

- Early life :The youngest of four children Spillett was born and raised in Buckinghamshire. Spillett's father Richard was a semi-professional jazz musician who studied trombone with Eddie Harvey, Ken Wray and Tony Russell and played gigs with saxophonists Tony Coe, Jimmy Skidmore and Lol Coxhill...

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Discography

• Summer Afternoon - CODA
• New Night - CODA
• Where's The Tune, Johnny?
• First Moves (1995)
• With A Song In My Heart (2002)
• Introducing Simon Spillett
• Remove all Covers