Jordan Smart

"I first met Pauline nearly ten years ago at our first show in Paris with Mammal Hands. She showed up before soundcheck with a huge bag of brightly coloured mouthpieces. I tried loads and at first didn’t get on with any of them.. but she really took a lot of notes and persevered and kept sending me more and more in the mail to my home in Norwich. I kept trying them and giving feedback and eventually there came a day when there was a piece that could achieve some of the more specific things that I was looking for, but had not found yet in any other mouthpiece. We then went through this process again (albeit condensed) for alto saxophone and my bass clarinet and I now play three Syos mouthpieces for live shows and recordings. I guess I am looking for something very specific and non-traditional but they give me a flexibility and range of tone and dynamics that helps bring the instruments in line with the vocal qualities and range of expression I hear in my head and want to access."

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Jordan Smart is known for his current projects Mammal Hands, Sunda Arc and Vega Trails, as well as composing and recording for other artists and creative projects. He has a distinctive sound and approach, and plays most of the saxophone family, focusing on tenor and soprano; alongside bass clarinet and flutes, including many from around the world.

He takes a strong influence from folk musics, particularly from the U.K, Northern Europe, Greece (he has Cypriot heritage), and the Arabic countries, working with the styles of these traditions and their techniques and approaches to improvisation and expression.

Jordan is playing a Syos custom mouthpiece on tenor, on alto saxophone and on bass clarinet.