Arnie Somogyi

b. 7 September 1965, England. Somogyi was born to a British mother and a father who had emigrated from Hungary to England in 1956. He first played violin but by the age of 14 was playing electric bass guitar and soon moved onto upright bass. He played with Tommy Chase and Adrian Utley and studied jazz with Jeff Clyne at London’s Guildhall of Music. He has played with many UK artists as well as visitors from overseas, appearing on numerous jazz and pop albums. Among musicians with whom he has worked are Ben Castle, Claire Martin, Alan Skidmore, Clark Tracey and Tim Whitehead. In 2000, Somogyi visited his father's homeland, a journey traced on programmes for BBC Radio 4. There, he met and formed Improvokation with guitarist Zsolt Bende. At first a quartet, this band expanded to 10 members. Somogyi also formed Ambulance, a quartet with Paul Booth (saxophone), Tim Lapthorn (piano) and Dave Smith (drums), and the quintet Cold Cherry Soup, with Bende, Tony Lakatos (saxophone), Liam Noble (piano), and Winston Clifford (drums), some of whom had played in Improvokation. In partnership with saxophonist Rob Townsend he writes music for business use. Somogyi has taught at Birmingham Conservatoire and at jazz summer schools, and has held a residency with Aldeburgh Music.