Joshua Arcoleo

The story behind the sound

Born in Surrey in 1989, Josh Arcoleo started saxophone lessons with the legendary Pee Wee Ellis (James Brown, Van Morrison) when he was 13. At 18 he gained a place on the renowned jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music, where he graduated with a first class degree in 2011. That same year he also won a Yamaha Parliamentary Jazz Scholarship and the Kenny Wheeler Jazz Prize, being awarded a recording contract with Edition Records for the latter. Josh's debut album Beginnings was released in February 2012 to widespread critical acclaim, receiving four star reviews in The Guardian and the Evening Standard amongst others. He has also received awards from the EMI Music Sound Foundation and MBF Young Talent, and was nominated for the Jazz FM Awards in the Best Newcomer category. Josh was also nominated for a 2012 London Jazz Award. He began touring with Pee Wee when he was 16 with his Funk Assembly and the Still Black Still Proud band. With these bands Josh toured regularly throughout Europe for the next three years. Josh is a regular member of Stan Sulzmann's big band, Jeff Williams' UK Quartet, Snowpoet, and Jasper Hoiby's Planet B. As well as being a constant presence on the UK and European jazz scenes for more than a decade, Josh has toured and recorded extensively with artists such as Joss Stone, Michael Kiwanuka, Jordan Rakei, Jacob Collier, Gentleman’s Dub Club, Ghostpoet, Tony Allen, and Ginger Baker. He is also a founding member of the UK band Native Dancer, who released their first album Tides in 2020.