I learnt violin and bassoon at school, switching to sax at college. I played in a host of bands - many didn't last long, but some ran for several years. Styles covered included modern jazz ( small group and big band), soul, r'n'b and blues. At that time I was trading under the name of Bert Batty (and would still be known as that in Yorkshire). Film buffs might have seen me in the dance band in the John Schlesinger feature film 'Yanks' - the fee paid for my first soprano sax. Worth wearing an RAF uniform !

I played mainly in West Yorkshire before moving to Dorset in 1986. Since moving to Ireland in 1997, I've been developing my knowledge of traditional music on the whistle and concert flute. When I'm not playing sax, you might well find me in my local in Tyrrellspass, Gonoud's, where I sit in on the music sessions. From time to time, I get over to England and seek out the local folk scene in pubs such as the Eel's Foot, Eastbridge, Suffolk.