Born in Leeds and raised in the North East, Al took up harp seriously when he left university in 1996 to work in London. 

 

The buzzing music scene offered previously unrealised opportunities to hear other harmonica players live, and he was greatly inspired by local players like Giles King, Tim Haigh and Lee Sankey at several blues jams in and around London.  Here Al learnt much of his trade, and owes a lot to Pete Boulter and the late Pete Smith, who provided a rich learning ground at their jams.

​

Influenced by the West-Coast swing of Rod Piazza and Paul Lamb, and the contemporary Chicago blues of William Clarke and Kim Wilson, Al also has great respect for the tasteful phrasing of such innovators of harmonica as George Smith, Little Walter, Rice Miller and James Cotton.