John O'Neill

John O'Neill is the saxophonist behind The Jazz Method for Saxophone - the Schott series that has taught a generation of players around the world to improvise. First published in 1991, it remains one of the best-selling jazz tutors ever written, alongside his companion methods for clarinet and flute.

He came to the saxophone at twenty, while reading French and German at Trinity College, Oxford, after hearing John Coltrane. He went on to study with British tenor great Don Rendell, and took improvisation from Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh and Peter Ind - direct heirs of the legendary teacher Lennie Tristano. A professional musician since 1979, he specialises in jazz and bossa nova and has played London's leading venues, including Ronnie Scott's, while also writing music for film, television, theatre and dance.

A qualified teacher with decades of experience, John has taught saxophone, clarinet and flute privately and in schools, on the jazz course at Trinity College of Music in London, and at summer schools in Spain and the Czech Republic. He still performs and teaches from his home in North London.