25/09/2026
born in brighton and living in london, john butcher is a saxophonist whose work ranges through improvisation, his own compositions, multitracked pieces and explorations with feedback, unusual acoustics and non-concert locations. he is well known as a solo performer who attempts to engage with a sense of place. resonant spaces, for example, is a collection of performances recorded during a tour of unusual locations in scotland and the orkney islands.
butcher originally studied physics, but after publishing a ph.d (1982) in quantum chromodynamics, butcher left academia and took off with music. he has since collaborated with hundreds of artists, some for many decades. to name a few: derek bailey, akio suzuki, john stevens’ spontaneous music ensemble, sophie agnel, rhodri davies, matthew shipp, gerry hemingway, chris burn, polwechsel, magda mayas, gino robair, thermal (andy moor & thomas lehn), christian marclay, eddie prévost, okkyung lee, john russell, and phil minton.
butcher values both permanent groups and occasional encounters and operates within a network of artists also interested in the dynamics of spontaneity and shared history.
