Dan Forshaw

Dan Forshaw is a UK-based saxophonist, composer and educator whose work combines serious jazz craft with a clear, engaging communicative style. His music spans modern jazz, spiritual projects and large-scale thematic work, with a particular focus on the legacy of John Coltrane and improvisation as a reflective, expressive artform.
Forshaw is also recognised as one of the leading saxophonists on YouTube, where his performance, teaching and vlog content reaches a global audience of musicians and listeners. Alongside this digital work, he is the creator of Jazz Vespers, a project exploring the meeting point of jazz, faith and contemplation in live performance contexts.
As a bandleader, Forshaw has released 12 studio albums and built a reputation for performances that balance intensity with accessibility. The Observer has praised his work as an “Outstanding Performance,” while Spice of Life described his music as “Serious jazz musicians, with a swiftly refreshing element of fun and showmanship.” UK Jazz News called one performance “A deeply moving experience that connects the spirit with the artistry of live music.”
Mentored early in his career by Branford Marsalis, Forshaw has played and recorded with Tony Kofi, Juliet Kelly, Steve Fishwick, Little Boots, Chris 'Fatty' Hargreaves, Becca Wilkins, Libby Key, Jonathan Geyevu, James Beckwith and Paul Higgs.
Alongside performance, Forshaw is an established educator and curator. From 2015–2025, he was the first Study Saxophone Tutor at the University of Cambridge, and he continues to work across conservatoires, universities and digital platforms. He records under his own label, 4shaw Music.