Biography
Olly Styles is a professional saxophonist, woodwind player and educator based in Newcastle Upon-Tyne. A specialised tenor player, he also performs on soprano, alto and baritone sax, and doubles on flute and clarinet.
He has been at the heart of the growing North East music scene for the past few years, leading his own band, The Olly Styles Experience, and playing and recording as a member of Swan Nek, Nauta and Cherry Blur. He also works as a session musician both recording and performing in the commercial world.
He fronts The Olly Styles Experience - his own contemporary jazz quartet - who perform regular gigs and are currently in the studio working on a debut album release of Olly's original music.
As a core part of the successful band Swan Nek, Olly has performed at a variety of notable events and festivals including: Music of Black Origin (MOBO) Fringe Awards, BBC Introducing Proms, Mercury Prize Fringe Festival, Kendal Calling and Stockton Calling. Most recently he and Swan Nek were named as Northern Line artists, and they have a debut UK Tour coming in Autumn 2026 alongside, a space on the Main Stage at Manchester Jazz Festival in May 2026. Olly has also been heard a number of times on BBC Radio 3, being a member of two bands who have regularly won the BBC Introducing Track of the Week.
Olly is a lead member of the modern jazz band Nauta, who in 2024 were selected to be a part of Generator's First Notes programme. The band have recorded and released original music and perform regularly, both for audiences and at functions.
In the commercial world, Olly has worked as a session musician recording with a range of artists, and he was recently part of the 2025 Center Parcs ‘Santa's Greetings Parade’ at Whinfell Forest, which won the best in class parade across their UK resorts.
With his sax playing and woodwind doubling on flute and clarinet, Olly also works in theatre productions, most recently being part of Tyne Theatre Productions 2026 "SpongeBob The Musical."
Olly also works as an educator teaching sax, flute and clarinet, as well as tutoring students in jazz performance, music theory, GCSE and A-Level Music examinations.