BIOGRAPHY
David Wright is a tenor saxophonist/ flautist and composer. He was a member of Rip Rig & Panic and the last line-up of X Ray Spex. A highly skilled, intuitive soloist with a rich mellow tone, Wright acquired the nickname “Flash” early in his career.
During the post punk era, aged 17, Wright started playing with Essential Logic, led by Lora Logic (vocals and saxophone) after she left punk band, X-Ray Spex. The band made the album ‘Beat Rhythm News’ for Rough Trade Records and toured with Stiff Little Fingers on the first Rough Trade tour in 1979.
Wright later played with Rip Rig and Panic appearing on their three Virgin Records’ albums and singles. Playing with founders Gareth Sager (guitar) Bruce Smith (drums), Sean Oliver (bass), Mark Springer (piano), Neneh Cherry and Andrea Oliver ( singers) and guest trumpeter, Don Cherry.
He has done recording sessions for Bjork, Terence Trent D’arby, and many others.
He has collaborated with artists from many musical styles ranging from jazz, world music, punk and rock’n’roll. Those collaborations include composing and performing with Mark Springer and respected tabla player, Sirish Kumar. As the “Pax Trio”, Kumar, Springer and Wright have recorded two world jazz albums, “Triptych” and “First Light”.
Wright has also worked extensively over the years with pioneering “dub scientist”, Adrian Sherwood, playing on recordings by Doug Wimbish, Harry Beckett and others.
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In 2008, X Ray Spex founder and singer, Poly Styrene invited Wright to join the reformed line up of X Ray Spex. Performing first with Poly in the Victoria Park “Rock Against Racism” gig, the band then made a raucous comeback at The Roundhouse. A DVD and CD of the Roundhouse performance was released in November 2009. Sadly, Poly Styrene died in 2011.
Wright appeared on Gareth Sager’s album, “Glass Jaw”, on Creeping Bent Records as well as The Slits’ 2009 Grammy nominated CD, “Trapped Animal”.
Wright also joined Jarvis Cocker as a guest artist on his UK tour, playing at a number of festivals including Glastonbury. More recently, he appeared on Vic Goddard’s single ‘Caught in Midstream’ and and played with Sufi musician, Dahoud.
In 2017 David did gigs with Karen Elson and started work on solo quartet project, to include a number of own compositions. This was recorded in Feb 2018 and is set for release this Spring.