The Elliott Henshaw Band
Biography The Elliott Henshaw Band
Elliott Henshaw
first played the drums at the age of 13 and within a week he was playing for his school big band and jazz band. He was self-taught until the age of 18 when he studied at Salford University with Manchester session drummer Steve Gilbert.
Whilst at Salford University Elliott began to get calls to play with local function bands and jazz groups. He also played for the Salford University big Band. It was whilst playing for the latter that he twice won the BBC Radio 2 Big Band Drummer of the year award. He consequently went on to play for the nationally renowned Andy Prior Orchestra and spent his final 2 years of university completing his degree in Band Musicianship whilst touring the UK.
After he left Salford University Elliott continued to tour and record with Andy Prior for a further 6 years appearing on numerous TV and radio shows. As his reputation grew Elliott began to amass a large variety of freelance work in and around Manchester. In 2001 he toured the UK with the hit show Anything Goes, this was followed by a tour with Wayne Sleep and Melanie Stace and eventually led to him deputising in London’s West End.
Now residing in London, Elliott is very in demand working with artists and bands that include; Shirley Bassey, John Lord and Roger Glover (Deep Purple), Michael Ball, Leo Sayer, Joe Longthorne, Jane McDonald, Tony Christie, Kirk Whalum, Andy Abraham, Keely Smith, Tony Hadley, Limahl, The BBC Big Band, Syd Laurence Orchestra, The Drifters, Gwen Dickie, Gabriella Cilmi, Georgie Fame, Mathew Herbert, Bob Mintzer, Mike Stern, Laurie Holloway and Michael Feinstein. His West End credits include; Lion King, The Rat Pack, The Bodyguard, Jersey Boys, The Producers and Priscilla Queen of The Desert.
He runs his own band that has regularly headlined at Ronnie Scotts club in London and released an album – Is That Not What You Wanted.
In 2012 Elliott had the idea to produce a 25th Anniversary Buddy Rich Memorial concert at the Palladium in London. With the help of promoter and friend Toby Cruse he was creative director of the event hosted by Buddy’s daughter Cathy Rich and he performed alongside many leading names in the international drumming community.
Away from performing Elliott delivers one to one tuition on the drums, lectures at Tech Music School in London and he is often asked to give drumming and rhythm section master classes at education establishments throughout the UK.
Elliott thrives on diversity as his CV suggests and always relishes new musical challenges.
