Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson

Saxophonist and composer Vaughan Hawthorne-Nelson has led bands including some of the leading lights of jazz including Julian Joseph, Jason Rebello, Bheki Mseleku, Mark Mondesir and Gary Husband. He has also performed at leading UK venues including The Queen Elizabeth Hall, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, Jazz Cafe and Bank on The Wall.

Vaughan has performed with legends of the music such as Kenny Kirkland, Branford Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Courtney Pine. In the mid-nineties he released a suite of albums, the aptly titled Emergence being the first. It has been described as "…an accomplished, powerful and spiritually uplifting album…". The Gift followed a year later. 

In 1999 Vaughan released See You There, featuring the great South African pianist Bheki Mseleku, Mark Mondesir on drums and Jeremy Brown on acoustic bass. The album and subsequent tour cemented Vaughan's reputation as a world class performer and was followed in 2001 by the live release of the band in fiery form 'Live at The Wardrobe'. In 2005 Vaughan wrote The Freedom Suite which receiving its premier performance at The Purcell Room in London featuring Julian Joseph on piano and Gary Husband on drums. In 2018 Vaughan premiered his first string quartet  with the Leon String Quartet. He will premier his quintet for saxophone with them in July 2024.

Vaughan returned to the UK jazz scene in June 2023 with a stellar band featuring Mark Mondesir, Robert Mitchell and Larry Bartley.