Raised in Stroud, south west England, Rory was brought up on a diet of Celtic folk, musical theatre and jazz. He wrote his first songs aged seven, took up the piano aged nine, alto saxophone aged eleven, clarinet aged sixteen, tenor & soprano saxophone aged sixteen and flute aged eighteen.

Rory studied saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music with Rob Buckland, Andy Scott, Mike Hall and Julian Arguelles as the second recipient of the Martyn Edwards Scholarship for Jazz. During this time, Rory performed with the Royal Northern College of Music Big Band, appearing with Chris Potter, Pete Long, Norma Winstone and Johnny Dankworth, and attending masterclasses with Andy Sheppard and Bob Mintzer.

After graduating with distinction in 2009, Rory enjoys a busy career performing and recording with his own projects and as a freelance musician, appearing at events (private & corporate) festivals and venues throughout the UK.

Rory has worked in a variety of fields ranging from big bands and contemporary music groups to DJ's, jazz and world music ensembles, party bands and musical theatre productions to promotional and media work, studio sessions and saxophonic / symphonic wind orchestras and quartets. Highlights include entertaining the athletes at the London 2012 Olympic Games and appearing onstage in a production of The Blues Brothers: A Musical Tribute at the Arts Theatre in London's West End.
Rory has appeared at jazz clubs such as Band on the Wall, Matt & Phred's and The Hideaway Streatham. He has also played frequently at some of the big hotels such as the Hilton, Midland and Radisson, Manchester and Liverpool international airports and numerous stately homes and country estates for events (private & corporate), weddings and parties, and also being engaged by PR companies such as Blackjack Promotions and The Little Big Voice.

BOOK

Rory is available solo or appearing with a band for events (private / corporate), festivals, weddings, parties, promotional work or residencies.

Rory offers a flexible range of lineups and repertoire, and can adapt presentation, requests, set and timings to suit your requirements, to ensure a successful, enjoyable and memorable event. Rory can be booked either as a saxophonist appearing with a band / backing track, or as a pianist / vocalist performing with a band or solo.

SAXOPHONE

With the saxophone-based lineups, the client can choose either a straight-ahead ‘Jazz setup’ (with piano and kit) or an acoustic ‘Latin setup’ (with guitar and cajon). The client can also specify saxophones (alto, soprano, tenor) and optional vocals, flute and clarinet, creating a bespoke lineup to suit the nature of the occasion. Additionally, Rory Duffy can offer iPod music between sets and a full suite of backing tracks (including custom-made backing tracks) to further enhance the occasion.

PIANO

Piano-based lineups are also available with bass, percussion and guest vocalists / horns if required.

SONG REQUESTS

Rory offers song requests. Check out the Playlist for a list of possible songs.
If the song is on the playlist, request is FREE.
If the song is not on the playlist.
1st request is FREE
Subsequent requests cost extra.

THE SECRET SAXOPHONIST

Rory now offers "The Secret Saxophonist" service as part of the requests package. With over 5 years background in hospitality & leisure working weddings as a conference and banqueting attendant at Stonehouse Court Hotel to pay off his student debts, Rory can pose either as a waiter / barman or as a regular guest, and surprise and delight the person(s) of choosing when they least expect it with an impromptu saxophone performance to open the set.

Perfect for weddings, engagements and birthday parties, "The Secret Saxophonist" is charged as an optional extra, which includes 1 song request performed from memory with backing track, and an experienced helping hand at the event where required.

EQUIPMENT

Rory plays Yamaha saxophones and Korg piano, and provides Mackie SRM 150 for 1-2 piece engagements, Yamaha 300W PA system for 3-6 piece engagements and Yamaha 2200W PA system plus monitoring for larger lineups.

CHECKLIST

250+ strong repertoire covering a range of styles spanning Jazz, Latin, Popular & World music plus original songs.
Available with a flexible range of guests (vocalists / horns)
Based in London and the South-East but travels UK-wide with discounts offered for Manchester and the North-West.
Excellent value for money
Fluent improviser and able to replicate songs by ear on demand
Offering a wide catalogue of backing tracks, with custom backing tracks also available
Over a dozen brilliant testimonials from some of the UK's top venues and clients
Special request songs learned, at short notice if required
Saxophone (alto, soprano, tenor) and reeds (flute, clarinet) available
Vocals available in three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese)
Young, talented professional musicians

A Felicidade - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
A Gente Merece Ser Feliz - Ivan Lins
Africa Bamba - Santana
African Skies - Michael Brecker
Afro Blue - Mongo Santamaria
Água De Beber (Water To Drink) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Aguas de Março - Tom Jobim
Ain't Misbehavin' - Fats Waller, Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf
Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
Ain't That A Kick In The Head - Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn
Alice In Wonderland - Sammy Fain and Bob Hilliard
All Blues - Miles Davis
All of Me - Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons
All of You - Cole Porter
All The Things You Are - Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein
Alone Together - Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz
Always A Woman - Billy Joel
Amor En Paz (Once I Love) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Aparecida - Ivan Lins
Aqualera Do Brasil (Watercolour of Brazil) - Ary Barrosso
As (I'll Be Loving You) - Stevie Wonder
At Last - Etta James
Autumn In New York - Vernon Duke
Autumn Leaves - Johnny Mercer
Away In A Manger -
Barbie Girl - Aqua
Batida Diferente - Durval Ferreira and Maurício Einhorn
Batucada - Marcos Valle and Paulo Sérgio Valle
Beautiful Love - Wayne King, Victor Young, Egbert Van Alstyne and Haven Gillespie
Bebop - Dizzy Gillespie
Begin The Beguine - Cole Porter
Besame Mucho - Consuelo Velázquez
Bewitched - Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
Beyond The Sea - Charles Trenet and Jack Lawrence
Billie's Bounce - Charlie Parker
Birdland - Joe Zaniwul
Birth of the Blues - Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva and Lew Brown
Blue Bossa - Kenny Doram
Blue Moon - Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
Blues For Alice - Charlie Parker
Bluesette - Toots Thielemans and Norman Gimbel
Body & Soul - Johnny Green, Edward Heyman, Robert Sour and Frank Eyton
Brazilian Sugar - George Duke
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkle
But Beautiful - Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke
But Not For Me - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Bye Bye Blackbird - Ray Henderson and Mort Dixon
Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Frankie Valli
Canteloupe Island - Herbie Hancock
Caravan - Juan Tizol
Carta Ao Tom 74 - Toquinho and Vinícius de Moraes
Cascade Of The Seven Waterfalls - Azymuth
Cendres - Touffic Farroukh
Cha-Cha-Chá (Calzada De Cerro) - Chucho Valdes
Charade - Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer
Chega De Saudade (No More Blues) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Cherie Amour - Stevie Wonder
Chucho - Chucho Valdes
Claudia - Chucho Valdes
Come Fly With Me - Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn
Como Fue - Ernesto Duarte
Confirmation - Charlie Parker
Copacabana - Barry Manilow, Jack Feldman and Bruce Sussman
Corazon Espinado - Santana
Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Corner of the Earth - Jamiroquai
Crazy - Gnarls Barkley
Cry Me A River - Arthur Hamilton
Cute - Neal Hefti
Dança De Solidão - Paulinho Da Viola
Daybreak - Salvador Poe and Lisa Ekdahl
Days Of Wine And Roses - Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer
Desafinado (Off Key) - Tom Jobim and Newton Mendonça
Devil May Care - Johnny Burke and Harry Warren
Dewey Square - Charlie Parker
Dindi - Tom Jobim and Aloysio de Oliveira
Do I Do - Stevie Wonder
Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? - Eddie DeLange and Louis Atler
Don't Get Around Much Anymore - Duke Ellington and Bob Russell
Donna Lee - Charlie Parker
Dos Gardenias - Isolina Carrillo
Doxy - Sonny Rollins
East of the Sun, West of the Moon - Brooks Bowman
Easy Living - Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin
Échale Salsita - Ignacio Piñeiro
El Cura - Paquito D'Rivera
El Manisero (The Peanut Vendor) - Moíses Simons
Embraceable You - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
En La Oscuridad - Tito Rodríguez
Estamos Aí - Durval Ferreira and Maurício Einhorn
Europa - Santana
Every Breath You Take - The Police
Fables of Faubus - Charlie Mingus
Fascinating Rhythm - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Favela / O Morro Não Tem Vez (The Hill Doesn't Have Time) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Feeling Good - Nina Simone
Fever - Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell
Fita Amarela - Noel Rosa
Flor De Lis - Djavan
Fly Me To The Moon - Bart Howard
Foggy Day - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Fools Rush In - Rube Bloom and Johnny Mercer
Forest Flower - Charles Lloyd
Four - Miles Davis
Frevo - Luis Bonfa
Garota de Ipanema (Girl From Ipanema) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Georgia - Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell
God Bless The Child - Billie Holiday and Arthur Herzog
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen -
Good Bait - Tadd Dameron
Gracias A La Vida - Joan Baez
Green Dolphin Street - Bronislau Kaper and Ned Washington
Groovin' High - Dizzy Gillespie
Guaguasi - Chico O'Farrill
Guantanamera - Joseíto Fernández
Hark The Herald -
Have You Met Miss Jones? - Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -
Hot House - Tadd Dameron
How Deep Is The Ocean - Irving Berlin
How High The Moon - Morgan Lewis and Nancy Hamilton
I Can't Get Started - Vernon Duke and Ira Gershwin
I Get A Kick Out Of You - Cole Porter
I Got Rhythm - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
I Remember You - Victor Schertzinger and Johnny Mercer
I Thought About You - Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Mercer
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day -
I'm Dreaming Of A White Christmas -
I've Got You Under My Skin - Cole Porter
If I Ain't Got You - Alisha Keys
In Your Own Sweet Way - Dave Brubeck and Iola Brubeck
Insensatez (How Insensitive) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Inside My Love - Minnie Riperton
Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder
It Ain't Necessarily So - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
It Came Upon The Midnight Clear -
It Could Happen To You - Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke
It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing - Duke Ellington and Irving Mills
It Had To Be You - Isham Jones and Gus Kahn
It Might As Well Be Spring - Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
It's Alright With Me - Cole Porter
It's Only A Paper Moon - Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg and Billy Rose
It's Time To Sing - Marcos Valle
Joy Spring - Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Just A Samba - Bossacucanova
Just The Two Of Us - Bill Withers
Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel
La Comparsa - Ernesto Lecuona
La Cuna - Ray Barretto
La Puerta - Luis Demetrio
Ladybird - Tadd Dameron
Lágrimas Negras - Miguel Matamoros
Lambada (Chorando Se Foi) - Los Kjarkas / Kaoma
Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) - Cole Porter
Libertango - Astor Piazzolla
Linda Chicana - Tito Puente
Little Sunflower - Freddie Hubbard
Looking Up - Michel Petrucciani
Lost in the Hours - Oregon
Love For Sale - Cole Porter
Lovely Day - Bill Withers
Lovin' You - Minnie Riperton
Luck Be A Lady - Frank Loesser
Luisa - Toninho Horta
Lullaby of Birdland - George Shearing and George David Weiss
Mack The Knife - Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht
Mais Que Nada - Jorge Ben
Make Me A Memory (Sad Samba) - Grover Washington
Mambo Influenciado - Chucho Valdes
Mambo Inn - Mario Bauzá
Manha do Carnaval (Morning of the Carnival) - Luis Bonfa and Antônio Maria
Manhattan Burn - Paquito D'Rivera
Manteca - Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo
Meditação (Meditation) - Tom Jobim and Newton Mendonça
Mercy Mercy Mercy - Joe Zaniwul
Midnight At The Oasis - Maria Muldaur / Brand New Heavies
Midnight Mambo - Oscar Hernandez
Milonga Del Angel - Astor Piazzolla
Misty - Erroll Garner
Moon River - Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer
Moondance - Van Morrisson
More I See You - Harry Warren and Mack Gordon
Morning - Claire Fischer
Morning Dance - Spyro Gyra
Mountain Flight - Toninho Horta
Mr Bojangles - Jerry Jeff Walker
My Baby Just Cares For Me - Walter Donaldson and Gus Kahn
My Favourite Things - Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
My Funny Valentine - Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
My Little Suede Shoes - Charlie Parker
My Ship - Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin
Nature Boy - Eden Ahbez
Nearness of You - Hoagy Carmichael and Ned Washington
Never Let Me Go - Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
New York, New York - John Kander and Fred Ebb
Nica's Dream - Horace Silver
Night in Tunisia - Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Paparelli, Sarah Vaughan and Anita O'Day
Nos E O Mar (Us and the Sea) - Roberto Menescal and Ronaldo Boscoli
Nostalgia In Times Square - Charlie Mingus
Now's The Time - Charlie Parker
O Barquinho (Little Boat) - Roberto Menescal and Ronaldo Boscoli
Oblivion - Astor Piazzolla
Oh Come All Ye Faithful -
Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem -
Old Devil Moon - Burton Lane and Yip Harburg
Oleo - Sonny Rollins
On The Sunny Side Of The Street - Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields
Once In Royal David's City -
Ornithology - Charlie Parker
Our Love Is Here To Stay - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Out Of This World - Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer
Over The Rainbow - Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg
Overjoyed - Stevie Wonder
Oye Como Va - Tito Puente
Papa Lips - Bob Mintzer
Pastime Paradise - Ray Barretto
Pastime Paradise - Stevie Wonder
Perdido - Juan Tizol
Pick Yourself Up - Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields
Ponteio - Edu Lobo
Primavera - Santana
Que Horas Não São? - Victor Ramil
Recordame - Joe Henderson
Red Clay - Freddie Hubbard
Relight My Fire - Dan Hartman
Reunión - Paquito D'Rivera and Arturo Sandoval
Rhythm of our World - Arturo Sandoval
Rico Vacilón - Xavier Cugat
Round Midnight - Thelonious Monk
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer -
S'Wonderful - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Sabor - Cal Tjader
Sadie's Dance - Paquito D'Rivera and the Caribbean Jazz Project
Samba de Orfeu (Orpheus' Samba) - Antonio Maria and Luiz Bonfa
Samba De Orly - Chico Buarque
Samba De Uma Nota Só (One Note Samba) - Tom Jobim
Samba De Verão (Summer Samba) - Marcos Valle and Paulo Sérgio Valle
Samba Pa Ti - Santana
Santa Ba -
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -
Satin Doll - Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn and Johnny Mercer
Set Fire To The Rain - Adele
Shadow of your Smile - Johnny Mandel and Paul Francis Webster
Silencio - Rafael Hernández
Silent Night -
Sister Sadie - Horace Silver
Sleigh Ride -
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach
Smooth - Santana
Snow Samba - Paquito D'Rivera
Só Danço Samba (I Only Dance Samba) - Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise - Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein
Somebody Loves Me - George Gershwin, Ballard MacDonald and Buddy DeSylva
Someday My Prince Will Come - Frank Churchill and Larry Morey
Someone To Watch Over Me - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Something in my Eye - Corduroy
Song For Bilbao - Pat Metheny
Song For My Father - Horace Silver
Song To My Son - Paquito D'Rivera
Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkle
Spain - Chick Corea
St Thomas - Sonny Rollins
Stella By Starlight - Victor Young and Ned Washington
Stolen Moments - Oliver Nelson
Straight No Chaser - Thelonious Monk
Stranger in Paradise - Alexander Borodin / Robert Wright and George Forrest
Street Life - Joe Sample
Summer Knows (Theme From Summer of '42) - Michel Legrand
Summer Soft - Stevie Wonder
Summertime - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
Sunny - Marvin Gaye and Bobby Hebb
Sunny Side of the Street - Jimmy McHugh and Dorothy Fields
Superstition - Stevie Wonder
Superwoman (Where Were You When I Needed You) - Stevie Wonder
Sway (Mucho Mambo) - Michael Buble
Sweet Georgia Brown - Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard and Kenneth Casey
Take Five - Paul Desmond
Take The 'A' Train - Billy Strayhold
Tanga - Dizzy Gillespie
Teach Me Tonight - Gene De Paul and Sammy Cahn
Tequila - The Champs
The Lady Is A Tramp - Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart
The Twelve Days Of Christmas -
Theme From 'The Taxi Driver' - Bernard Herrmann
There Will Never Be Another You - Harry Warren and Mack Gordon
They Can't Take That Away From Me - George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin
This Masquerade - Leon Russell
Tico Tico - Zequinha de Abreu
Time After Time - Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
To Brenda With Love - Paquito D'Rivera
Triste (Sadness) - Tom Jobim
Tristeza De Nos Dois - Durval Ferreira and Maurício Einhorn
Um A Zero - Pixinguinha
Umbrella - Rihanna
Vera Cruz - Milton Nascimento
Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer) - Tom Jobim
Voce E Eu (You And Me) - Tom Jobim
Vou Te Contar (Wave) - Tom Jobim
Walk On By - Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Walking In The Air -
Watermelon Man - Herbie Hancock
We Three Kings -
We Wish You A Merry Christmas -
Well You Needn't - Thelonious Monk
What A Difference A Day Made - Stanley Adams and Maria Grever
What Is This Thing Called Love? - Cole Porter
What The World Needs Now - Burt Bacharach and Hal David
What's Going On? - Marvin Gaye
What's New - Bob Haggart
When I Fall In Love - Victor Young and Edward Heyman
While Shepherd's Watched -
Winter Wonderland -
Without A Song - Vincent Youmans, Billy Rose and Edward Eliscu
Yardbird Suite - Charlie Parker
You And The Night And The Music - Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz
You Are The Sunshine Of My Life - Stevie Wonder
You Stepped Out Of A Dream - Nacio Herb Brown and Gus Kahn
You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To - Cole Porter

- Almeida Restaurant, Islington, London
- BPP Law School
- Bridgewater Hall
- Buxton Pavilion Arts Centre
- Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport
- Christie’s
- Contact Theatre
- Corks & Forks Restaurant
- Cultural Collage World Music Festival
- Deutsche-Borse Group
- Didsbury Arts Festival
- Edinburgh University
- Excel Publishing Co Ltd
- Fuel Bar
- Gallery Oldham
- Gaucho Argentine Steakhouse
- Hartshorn Hook Productions
- Hideaway
- KLM Airways
- KRO Catering Ltd
- Liverpool John Lennon Airport
- Lloyds Bar
- London 2012 Olympic Games
- Lowry Hotel
- Manchester Airport
- Manchester Camarata
- Manchester Central
- Manchester Food & Drink Festival
- Manchester Jazz Festival
- Manchester Mad Ferret Festival
- Manchester Parklife Festival
- Manchester Salon
- Matt & Phred’s Jazz Club
- Melisma Music
- Merchant Taylors Hall, City of London
- Mike Constantia Artiste Management
- Milton House Hotel, Oxfordshire
- Northern International Theatre Company
- Novotel
- Oracle Shopping Centre
- Orchestrant
- Palmiro Restaurant
- Prestwich Festival
- Printworks
- Proof Bar
- Royal Exchange Theatre
- Royal Northern College of Music
- Salsa De Cuba
- Salsa Direct
- Skinner’s Hall, London
- Solomon Grundy’s Bar
- Stoke Park Country Club, Buckinghamshire
- Tea House Theatre/Tea & Jam
- The Little Big Voice
- Theobald’s Park, Hertfordshire
- The Place Hotel
- Tower Bridge/St Katherine’s Docks, London
- University of Manchester
- Whitworth Art Gallery
- Winter Gardens, Sheffield
- WPA Health Insurance