The Band

Tenor sax, clarinet & vocals.
The driving force behind the arrangements that create the Native Oysters unique sound, heavily influenced by the riffing horn sections of the early R&B stars, chiefly T-Bone Walker, Ray Charles, Sam Butera and the later King Curtis & Junior Walker, with his roots in the trad revival of the 50's and a love of 70's funk. Rip-roaring tenor and clarinet fireworks.

Vocals & trumpet.
Acclaimed singer, songwriter, recording artist and music teacher, David embraced the chance to perform with The Native Oysters.

With influences such as Al Green, Ry Cooder, Gil Scott-Heron and Dr. John, David's rich, creamy and soulful vocals bring all of these ingredients and more to the table.

Alto sax & vocals.
Katy performs with a variety of local bands and international artists. The beating heart of The Native Oysters sound, Katy's exuberant phrasing and expressive tone convey nothing but joy in her playing. Influences ranging from Charlie Parker, Miles Davis & John Coltrane, jazz, & fusion to 70's funk and Soul and a later introduction to the Neville Brothers have helped form the formidable force that is Katy.

Drums
Al has gigged in many bands in the Kent area over the years. His playful, sensitive touch brings a joyous element to the band that will make you want to dance. Influences include Billy Cobham, Andy Fissenden, Steve Gadd and Stanton Moore to name but a few. Al draws elements from all these great players together to put the 'fun' into funk.

Guitar
Steve has been gigging since his school days, playing with a variety of local bands and international artists. With diverse influences ranging from Rush to Niall Rogers, Steve brings the driving riffs of raw funk as well as elements of garage and rock together to be a massive part of any rhythm section.

Euphonium
Tremendous talent Tom plays with a multitude of different ensembles, from traditional British brass bands through to a Balkan quartet. Tom brings power and creativity and you can guarantee the bass end of proceedings will be more than covered. Tom is heavily influenced by Frank Zappa and the brass arranging of Mahler and Tchaikovsky; he also has a love of the big bands of Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich. 'As far as tuba influences go, Oren Martial and Oystein Baadsvik are two who do the tuba justice, in my opinion, and have hugely influenced my view and approach to the tuba.'