James grabs sax spotlight

JAMES Rawlinson on stage with hero Snake Davis

AN A-level reward turned into an impromptu performance with one of his idols for music-mad teenager James Rawlinson.

The 19-year-old Crompton House pupil wowed the audience when he played three unrehearsed numbers with saxophonist Snake Davis at Playhouse2, Shaw.

Mum Debbie had bought him a ticket for the gig as a surprise for finishing his A-level exams.

At the interval the teenager, of Pingot, Shaw, got chatting to Snake and asked if he could join him on stage.

The former M People member agreed and James ended up playing three numbers on his 1960s tenor sax with the band.

Proud Debbie captured the moment on camera and said: “When we were leaving the house I said ‘why don’t you put your sax in the back of the car. You never know what will happen.’

“At the interval he got talking to Snake and asked to join him on stage. It was a spur of the moment thing.

“James lives in a musical bubble. He rehearses, performs or composes almost every day — it’s just as well we have no neighbours!

“I’m so happy for him that he had the opportunity to perform. He was calm and composed until we left the Playhouse and then he whooped and jumped about.”

James plays the tuba, trumpet, saxophone and bass trombone and also sings with his school’s senior choir, performing everywhere from York Minster to Westminster Abbey.

He hopes to study jazz at Leeds College of Music and said: “I was terrified and excited at the same time. It was a brilliant opportunity to perform with one of my heroes in my home town.”