ABOUT
Ali, Tom and Charlotte Burrows started out as a family trio playing twelve-bar blues and learning improvisational technique. Performing live is something we’ve been doing for years, as individuals and with various brass, church and folk bands, so we’re comfortable live performers. As a jazz trio we won the ensemble class of the Carnforth Rotary Young Musician Competition in March 2015. Later that year we performed for a birthday cruise on Ullswater with bass trombonist Ed Hodgson. When drummer Sam Nicholls joined the band in December 2015 he raised both the quality of the music and expanse of repertoire – Muskrat Ramble was launched.
​
In 2016 we were thrilled to win the Jazz North Introduces young ensemble award. They said: "A junior award was made to Muskrat Ramble, a young ensemble from Lancaster. Aged between 12 and 16 years of age, they were the youngest applicants and impressed the panel with their enthusiasm and potential."
​
We have more recently begun "guesting" David Whyatt on saxophone and drummer/percussionists Lachlan Rurlander and Louis Singleton at gigs and recordings.
WHO ARE WE?
Tom Burrows
Trumpet
​
Tom studies trumpet at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. In 2017 he attended the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer School for a week of high quality mentoring from the likes of Soweto Kinch and Chris Batchelor. He plays with the jazz group Youth Orbit in Morecambe under the tutelage of Dave Shooter and Matt Robinson. Tom deputises on trumpet for Lancaster's Haffner Orchestra and the Northern All Stars Big Band in Torrisholme.
SAm NICHOLLs
DrUms
​
Sam learns percussion at the Junior Royal Northern College of Music and has been taught jazz drumming with Dave Hassell in Manchester since the age of 10. He plays a wide range of genres from Latin and Bossa Nova to Jazz, Blues and Funk. In 2015, 2016 and 2017 he attended the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer School and plays in their regional events. Sam has played percussion in Westmorland Youth Orchestra, Westmorland Orchestra and Junior RNCM Brass Band.
CHARLOTTE BURROWS
TROMBONE
​
Charlotte is the youngest member in the group. She has been playing brass since she was 6. She studies with Richard Broomhead at the Junior RNCM, where she plays Principal Trombone in their Jazz Ensemble under Eileen Guppy. She also plays Principal Trombone for the JRNCM Brass Band and Youth Orbit and has deputised for the Westmorland Orchestra. In 2018, she became a member of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, in their Training Choir.
ED HODGSON
bass TROMBONE
​
Ed is the resident bass trombonist for Muskrat Ramble. He began his music studies when he was 8 with the baritone horn, moving more recently to play bass trombone, with more of a jazz than a brass band emphasis. He also plays in Morecambe Brass Band as well as innumerable ensembles at Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale, most recently playing lead trombone in Chicago.
ALI BURROWS
PIANO/KEys
​
Ali is the oldest member of Muskrat Ramble and leads the band at gigs. He has been playing the piano since he was 5. He studies Jazz piano with Ian Gray and benefits from a regular jazz improvisation workshop in Lancaster led by Dave Shooter. Ali also plays keys for Youth Orbit in Morecambe, and a new Lancaster band, Kader.
Monday to Friday, Ali works as an Artist Blacksmith in Ulverston and studies at the National School Of Blacksmithing in Hereford.
DAVID whyatt
saxophones/ewi
​
David has been playing sax for 9 years and studies under Paul Froggatt. He regularly plays with The Lancashire Youth Jazz Orchestra (LYJO), quintet Jazz Apple, More Music's Youth Orbit, The Northern All Stars and Lancaster Royal Grammar School big bands. In 2017 he attended the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer School with Sam and Tom. As well as the Summer School's gig at Kings Place, London, David's combo recently played at the Vortex in London.
Lachlan Rurlander
DRUMS
​
Lachlan's percussion talents can be heard with Lancaster's jazz quintet Jazz Apple and the big band at Lancaster Royal Grammar School. He is taught drums by Andy Smith and has been playing since he was 7.
LOUIS SINGLETON
PERCUSSION
​
Louis studies drums with Phil Gibson and works part-time at Prom Music in Morecambe. He plays kit for the LCMC Showband and Westmorland Youth Orchestra. In 2017, Louis attended the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer School.