Kate Luxmoore

Biography

Kate Luxmoore CV

“an accomplished clarinetist, with a velveteen tone and lithe style of playing” Songlines

Clarinetist Kate Luxmoore, trained at The Royal Northern College of Music and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has performed at Festivals and venues worldwide with Pianist Ian Buckle and artists such as Fairport Convention, Jackie McShee, Lucky Ranku, Anna Ryder, Lekan Babalola, Karen Street, storytellers Vayu Naidu and Pyn Stockman and worked with theatre companies The Shysters, Open Theatre, Talking Birds, Ex Nihilo, as well as recording for BBC Radio 3 and 4 with composer John Nicholls.
She has led educational projects for many UK Orchestras, Theatres and Dance Companies, and taught courses in workshop skills and improvisation at Birmingham Conservatoire and The Royal College of Music.
She has also undertaken research trips to Cuba, USA, Ghana Nigeria and Jamaica exploring African Diaspora music and collaborating with Highlife and Jazz musicians.

Kate composes for her own ensemble The Kate Lux Group, debuting her first album “The Grove” at the The Royal Festival Hall, London and releasing an EP ‘As I Walked’ in 2018, recorded in New Orleans, featuring drummer Herlin Riley. Her latest album ‘Unquiet Grave’ was released in 2019, featuring afrobeat legend, the late Tony Allen on drums.
She has recently been working on music for The Sacred Funk Quartet, which she co-founded with Lekan Babalola, releasing their debut album ‘Tales of Orisa’, which launched at The Vortex Jazz Club, London in September 2024 and will be performing at The Havana Jazz Festival 2025. Their current tour explores the influences around west african highlife.
Described as “a player with a big English sound” ( Jazz Spot/Telegraph) Kate continues to research and explore English Folk songs and traditions, arranging for The Kate Lux Group and writing for collaborative projects that bring musicians from different genres together.
She also works closely with storyteller Pyn Stockman interweaving folkloric stories with live music. Their current shows ‘Tell it to the Bees’ and Wild Woods Brew are touring in 2025.
Kate is looking forward to being part of Wolfson College and exploring the Oxford libraries!

Research Interests
English Folk Music and rituals, African Diaspora Music and rituals