Art Themen is a renowned British jazz saxophonist who has maintained a dual career as a professional musician and orthopaedic surgeon. Born in Manchester in 1939, Art began as a self-taught musician in the traditional jazz scene of the late 1950s. While studying medicine at Cambridge University, he developed his distinctive saxophone style, performing with the Cambridge University Jazz Band where he achieved recognition for his hard-bop approach. Throughout his extensive career spanning over 60 years, Art has performed with jazz luminaries including Stan Tracey (a defining musical relationship beginning in 1974), Alexis Korner, and numerous American jazz masters. Originally influenced by saxophonists Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins, his style evolved to incorporate elements from Coleman Hawkins, Evan Parker, and John Coltrane. In recent years, Art has received prestigious recognition including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians and was nominated for Instrumentalist of the Year in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Following his retirement from medicine, he has dedicated himself fully to his jazz career.

(This summary is paraphrased from Art’s Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Themen