Andrew Fairbairn

Location: Perth, WA

Challenge: Left Below Knee Amputee

Website: facebook.com/andrew.fairbairn.75

My music journey started when I was in primary school. I don't know exactly why I was interested in music but at home we always had the radio on and I am the youngest of 4 so I was always surrounded by music of different genres from my parents to my brothers and my sister.

I was good at playing clarinet and learned to read music really easily. I loved the fact that not everybody could do it so I suppose it made me feel special. I learned later on in life that my dad had played piano in his early days living in England but his parents couldn't afford to get him lessons so he never pursued it.

My next eldest brother learned clarinet through to high school and then got a saxophone. I used to sneak into his room and get it out and have a blow on it. I loved the sound and knew I wanted to do something in music.

As a clarinet player I used to love to hear Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Don Burrows and Acker Bilk. I was so proud when I mastered "Stranger on the Shore" by ear. I didn't really know about jazz clarinet at that stage, but I loved listening to it. I grew fond of the likes of Eddie Daniels.

My journey to saxophone went through the oboe stage. Lother Koch was an inspirational oboist who to this day I love to listen to. My oboe teacher was the Second Oboist of the WA Symphony Orchestra named Jay Harrison. He taught me to be patient and to understand my journey through learning an extremely complex and difficult instrument.

When I was in the Navy as a musician, I came across Grover Washington Jnr. I fell deeply in love with the sound he mad on both tenor and soprano sax. As an oboist I didn't get a lot of opportunity to explore the sax, but worked on my listening list to players like Dave Koz, Michael Brecker, Candy Dulfer and David Sanborn.

When I got out of the navy and went to WAPPA I stared listening to the masters. My favourites would be Stan Getz, Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Lester Young and of course John Coltrane. Listening to these players deepened my understanding of jazz and I have tried to base my sound and style on Getz and Gordon. Sometimes it works, most time it doesn't but I continue to strive to play like them.

During my studies I was privileged to have some great teachers. Michael Collinson was my first. A real pro player and great teacher. I had Jim Cook, Roger Garood and Australian jazz legend Graham Lyall. I also had the privilege of studying under Graham Blevins, who left to go on tour with Kylie Minougues band.

I had an infection in my foot that ate the bone away and poisoned my blood. This was over 5 years. I made the decision to have it taken off and that fixed the infection. I had it done on the 25 February 2015. Doctors said I should have been dead, I had more infection in my blood than cells. After a bit of rehab. I got my first incarnation of Arnie, my leg, at about 3 months post op. I had that one until 2 weeks ago when I was fitted for my new Arnie. I was walking from about 3.5 months.

I firmly believe that music is a journey. It is to be shared, enjoyed and celebrated. I love playing music and my current band, Cafe Jazz is really working hard to develop into a rocking jazz outfit.