Pete Manhire

Baritone/soprano/alto

Pete is a secondary school science teacher in South West Essex. When pressed, he also reluctantly admits to playing the viola. Born in South Wales, he thoroughly enjoyed misspending his youth playing baritone in dance bands in pubs and clubs around Newport. He is still misspending his youth playing baritone rather more than thirty years later.

Andrew Smith

Alto/clarinet

Andrew works in regeneration, where work on the Olympics is being undertaken in east London. He started out in music on flute and clarinet before tackling his dream instrument the saxophone (he has always loved that glistening gold colour). He played in the Ionian Clarinet Choir and the Barnet Band in North London for a while and looks forward to misspending his youth.

John Ongom

Soprano/tenor/alto

John is a practising architect who lives in north east London. Passionate about big bands, John leads the John Ongom Big Band and was talked into playing in the quartet by Pete who plays baritone in the big band.  Initially unsure about quartets, he is now thoroughly enjoying himself.

Clive Harding

Tenor/baritone/soprano

Clive is a firefighter here in London and is the only member of the quartet to see the light and live "sarf" of the river in Belvedere. He started playing in pubs and clubs before spending 11 years as a freelance musician playing not only the saxophone but also the flute, clarinet and oboe. Clive is happy playing in the Salamander Saxophone Quartet, not only because we all enjoy the same style of music but also because the rest of the quartet make him seem quite normal.