saxophone player

What saxophone player does

Mike Smith is a self-employed saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist operating as a sole trader from Southport, Merseyside, UK, under the trading names Mike Smith Sax & Keys and mikesax.co.uk. The business provides live saxophone performance for weddings, private functions, and corporate events across North West England and broader UK, with optional duo and ensemble formats (The Stray Horns roaming brass band). Mike Smith is also an active session musician, touring as saxophonist/keyboardist with established artists including Elkie Brooks, ABC, Echo & The Bunnymen, Kid Creole, Stevie Winwood, and Craig David, and he teaches at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), where he graduated with first-class honours in 2005.

The company's revenue model combines professional services (per-event performance fees with a £100 deposit, typically 2 x 45-minute sets, and own PA system included) with one-time music sales under the Ginger Tunes brand and original saxophone ensemble sheet music distributed globally via Saxtet Publications and Astute Music. Customer segments are wedding couples (primary), corporate clients, and music artists/bands requiring touring sideman support. The Air Horns extends the offering into remote studio brass recording services and sample packs. There is no proprietary software, app, API, or AI technology underlying the business; delivery is entirely labour- and talent-led, with marketing conducted through a Bandzoogle-hosted website, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and verified listings on Entertainers Worldwide, Encore Musicians, and Bands For Hire.

Name

saxophone player

Legal name

Mike Smith

Website

https://mikesax.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Self-employed saxophonist and session musician from Southport, UK, providing live performance for weddings, corporate events, and major-artist tours, plus original albums and sheet music sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Entertainment Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Musical Groups and Artists (71113)

akta.pro primary industry

Session Musicians & Vocalists (MPAIAHAC)

Keywords

• Live saxophone performance
• Wedding entertainment services
• Session musician booking
• Event live music hire
• Brass recording services

Headquarters

HQ city

Southport

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Live Event Performance: Revenue generated from performing at weddings, corporate events, private functions, and concerts. Fees vary by location, event type, and season. Typically requires deposit (£100) to confirm booking with balance due before event date.
2. Music Sales and Publications: Sale of original music albums under the Ginger Tunes brand, and saxophone ensemble compositions published through Saxtet Publications and Astute Music.
3. Session Musician Work: Studio recording sessions and touring as a sideman with various artists including Elkie Brooks, ABC, Echo & The Bunnymen, and Kid Creole.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Mike Smith delivers live saxophone performance as a solo performer, duo, or ensemble (The Stray Horns, The Air Horns) for weddings, corporate events, private parties, and touring engagements. He also produces original music albums under the Ginger Tunes brand and publishes saxophone ensemble sheet music and big band charts. Offerings are sold as event performance bookings, recorded music downloads, and printable sheet music via website, third-party booking platforms, and music publishers.

Product overview

Mike Smith Saxophonist offers a portfolio of live music performance services centered on saxophone entertainment for weddings and events. The core offering is solo and duo saxophone performances with backing tracks, supplemented by two branded ensemble groups: The Stray Horns (roaming brass band) and The Air Horns (remote recording studio for brass sections). The business also operates a music publishing arm under the Ginger Tunes brand, producing original jazz and soul albums alongside saxophone quartet and big band sheet music arrangements sold through Saxtet Publications and Astute Music.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Stray Horns: A wind-powered roaming band for events and weddings, performing New Orleans brass through contemporary party songs. Available for hire as a compact roaming outfit.
• The Air Horns
• Ginger Tunes

Products and services

• Solo Saxophonist Performance Solo saxophone performance for weddings, corporate events, and private parties, typically delivered as two 45-minute sets with backing tracks. Includes ceremony music, drinks reception sets, and wedding breakfast performance. Travel included up to 100 miles or 2 hours from Southport.
• Saxophone Duo Performance Two saxophonists performing together for enhanced live sound at weddings and events, providing a fuller sonic experience than solo performance.
• The Stray Horns (Roaming Brass Band) Wind-powered roaming brass band performing New Orleans brass band style music through to contemporary party songs for weddings and events. Available as a compact roaming outfit.
• The Air Horns (Remote Brass Recording) Remote recording studio and live performance brass section providing real brass recordings for tracks, albums, and music projects. Also offers sample packs.
• Ginger Tunes (Original Music Albums) Mike Smith's original music brand featuring jazz and soul albums including Ginger Tunes, Flacid Jazz, Winging It, Mersey Mersey Mersey, and Dayspring, distributed digitally via Bandcamp.
• Saxophone Ensemble Sheet Music Original saxophone quartet and ensemble arrangements available for purchase, including Reed 'Em & Weep, Alto-Gether Now, Sax Sonic, Bossa Scouser, Kimo Samba, Mersey Mersey Mersey, Doris From Norris, Upton Girl, and Jazz Flight. Distributed with parts and optional rhythm section backing tracks for practice.
• Original Big Band Charts Free downloadable big band charts arranged for large ensemble, including Kimo Samba, Mersey Mersey Mersey, and Just To Know You.

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saxtet PublicationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSheet music publisher for Mike Smith's saxophone ensemble compositions including Reed 'em & Weep, Alto-Gether Now, Sax Sonic, and Jazz Flight. Distributes digital sheet music bundles with scores and parts to saxophonists and school ensembles worldwide.
• Astute MusiccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMusic publisher for Mike Smith's saxophone quartet compositions including Bossa Scouser, Kimo Samba, Mersey Mersey Mersey, Doris From Norris, and Upton Girl. Provides distribution of sheet music with optional rhythm section backing tracks for practice.
• The Muffin MenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiverpool-based Frank Zappa tribute band formed in 1990. Mike Smith toured extensively with The Muffin Men from age 19, meeting and working with Zappa's drummer Jimmy Carl Black. This was an important early career development relationship.
• Ginger TunescoreOthersMike Smith's own music brand and record label under 'playing with sound records'. Owns the Ginger Tunes Quartet catalog including albums: Ginger Tunes, Flacid Jazz, Winging It, Mersey Mersey Mersey, and Dayspring.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Encore Musicians: UK musician booking platform where Mike Smith maintains a verified profile. Not a peer in the service sense but a key distribution channel and a useful proxy for the broader competitive set of UK event musicians on the platform.

Direct peers

• Snake Davis: Veteran UK session saxophonist with extensive live and recording credits. Directly comparable as another top-tier UK session saxophonist offering event performance, session work, and teaching.
• The Vintage Brass: UK-based roaming brass band for weddings and events performing New Orleans-style and contemporary repertoire. Directly comparable to The Stray Horns sub-brand in format, genre mix, and event focus.
• Brassroots: UK roaming brass band for events, weddings, and parties. Directly comparable to The Stray Horns in the roaming brass entertainment segment, competing for the same event-booking customers.
• Sax in the City: Wedding and event saxophonist service in the UK. Directly comparable solo saxophone hire business targeting the same wedding and corporate event market Mike Smith serves.
• London Saxophone Quartet: Professional saxophone ensemble performing at weddings, corporate events, and concerts across the UK. Comparable to the ensemble offering Mike Smith provides through The Stray Horns and his saxophone quartet arrangements.
• London Horns: Professional horn section providing brass recordings and live session work for artists, bands, and studios. Directly comparable to The Air Horns sub-brand offering remote and studio brass session services.
• SaxEvents UK: Wedding and event saxophone hire service operating in the UK. Directly comparable offering — solo and ensemble saxophone performance for weddings and corporate events, competing in the same customer segment and price band.

Broad incumbents

• The London Function Band: Established multi-genre event band agency serving UK weddings and corporate clients. Comparable as a broader event entertainment provider in the same customer segment, though offering a fuller band format rather than a single saxophonist.

Emerging players

• The Funk Collection: UK soul, funk, and Motown event band covering similar repertoire to the genres Mike Smith performs (soul, Motown, funk, pop). Comparable for shared event customer base and repertoire overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saxophone-player

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about saxophone player