Biography
Alabaster DePlume is the stage name of Manchester-born musician, poet, and activist Angus (Gus) Fairbairn, who emerged from the UK’s DIY and avant‑jazz scenes with a distinctive blend of jazz, spoken word, and performance poetry.[2][3][4] Born in 1980 or 1981 in Manchester, England, he initially made “jagged, noisy music” with his brothers before taking up the saxophone in 2007 and learning largely by ear rather than through formal conservatory training.[2][3] In his early twenties he hosted jam nights in South Manchester and adopted the name Alabaster DePlume from a misheard insult shouted from a passing car, a chance moment that captured the playful, self‑effacing spirit he would bring to his later work.[2] Moving between Manchester and London, he cultivated a grassroots following through late‑night sessions, theatre collaborations, and community‑focused projects that emphasized vulnerability, improvisation, and human connection over technical polish.[3][4]
After relocating to London, Fairbairn became closely associated with the Total Refreshment Centre in Hackney, where he worked, curated, and led monthly improvisational nights under the name Peach, bringing together rotating ensembles of musicians to fuse jazz and spoken word.[2] He released the album Peach in 2015 via Debt Records, followed by The Corner of a Sphere (2018), gradually attracting attention within the UK’s left‑field and avant‑jazz communities.[1][2] His breakthrough came with the instrumental collection To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 (2020) on International Anthem, inspired by and dedicated to two musicians with learning disabilities he befriended while working with the Manchester charity Ordinary Lifestyles.[2] The album’s gentle, breathy saxophone lines and atmospheric harmonies earned critical praise and widened his international audience.[2] He consolidated this reputation with Gold – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love (2022), recorded at the Total Refreshment Centre using deliberately under‑rehearsed ensembles to encourage spontaneity and interpersonal responsiveness—a process that critics highlighted as central to his ethos.[2][4] Subsequent releases such as Come with Fierce Grace (2023) continued to develop his blend of spiritual jazz textures, folk‑like melodies, and spoken affirmations.[2][4]
Artistically, DePlume is known for circular saxophone melodies, warm, sometimes fragile tone, and compositions that oscillate between serene, meditative passages and vehement, politically charged statements.[2][4][5] His work often carries overt sociopolitical intent, with pieces such as “I Was Gonna Fight Fascism” and the video for “What’s Missing”—which incorporates Salvador Allende’s final public speech—foregrounding anti‑fascist and humanist themes.[2] At the same time, he frames his performances as communal rituals, frequently repeating phrases like “Don’t forget you’re precious” to dismantle cynicism and affirm shared value.[4][5] Critics at outlets including NPR, Pitchfork, and The Observer have described him as a key figure in the contemporary London/UK avant‑jazz renaissance, emphasizing his “openness,” “people‑first” creative process, and commitment to transparency about how and why his work is made.[3][4][5] Though still in mid‑career, his influence is felt in the way he bridges experimental jazz, community arts practice, and activist performance, modeling a form of music‑making that treats vulnerability, collaboration, and social care as core compositional tools rather than afterthoughts.[3][4][6]
Fun Facts
- His stage name “Alabaster DePlume” originated from a misheard insult shouted from a passing car—a “rude tirade” whose garbled phrasing he adopted rather than choosing a conventional artist name.[2]
- He did not begin playing saxophone until around 2007 and developed his idiosyncratic style largely by ear during late‑night jam sessions, prioritizing emotion and communication over traditional technical training.[2][3]
- For the album Gold – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love, he intentionally avoided rehearsing the band thoroughly, bringing different musicians into the studio each day and giving them minimal preparation so they had to “look up and respond to each other” instead of relying on polished material.[2]
- Before his international breakthrough, he worked with the Manchester charity Ordinary Lifestyles, making music with adults with learning disabilities; two of those collaborators, Cy and Lee, are honored in the title and material of To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1.[2]
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Cy and Lee (musicians with Ordinary Lifestyles charity) - Friends and informal musical partners whose ways of making music and living in community shaped DePlume’s approach to gentle, accessible instrumental composition and care‑centered practice; he has said the instrumental work on To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1 grew directly from music made with them during support sessions. (To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1) [c. 2010s–2020 (work with Ordinary Lifestyles leading up to the 2020 album)]
Key Collaborators
- Total Refreshment Centre (TRC) community of London musicians - As a worker and curator at TRC in Hackney, he hosted monthly improv nights under the banner Peach, inviting changing line‑ups of local jazz, experimental, and improvising musicians; this loose collective also formed the core of the ensembles on Gold – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love and related sessions. (Peach (2015); live Peach improv nights; Gold – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love (2022); related TRC‑recorded material) [mid‑2010s–early 2020s]
- Honeyfeet - Manchester rhythm and blues group for whom DePlume appears as a saxophonist, integrating his improvisatory and textural playing within a more song‑based band context. (Live performances and recordings as saxophonist with Honeyfeet (specific releases not named in sources)) [2010s (exact years not specified)]
- Liz Green - Singer‑songwriter (associated with PIAS International) with whom DePlume has performed, contributing saxophone and collaborative live work. (Live performances with Liz Green (specific recordings not specified)) [2010s (exact years not specified)]
- PaperDolls (Dublin circus aerial troupe) - He writes and performs theatre with this aerial circus collective, integrating his music and spoken word into multidisciplinary stage works. (Collaborative theatre and performance pieces with PaperDolls (titles not specified)) [2010s (exact years not specified)]
Artists Influenced
- [[|]] - There are currently no clearly documented individual artists citing Alabaster DePlume as a primary influence in reliable sources; however, multiple outlets describe him as a notable figure within the contemporary British and London avant‑jazz/experimental scene, suggesting a broader scene‑level influence rather than specific protégés.
Connection Network
External Links
References
Heard on WWOZ
Alabaster DePlume has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 8, 2026 | 23:48 | Is It Enough | Kitchen Sinkw/ Jennifer Brady |