Col Loughnan | |
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 Loughnan performing in 2015 | |
| Born | Colin John Loughnan 26 October 1942 Sydney, Australia |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1957–present |
| Employer | Sydney Conservatorium of Music/ freelance |
| Term | 1978—present |
| Spouse |
Rhonda Loughnan (m. 1966) |
| Children | Lyal, and Jason |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments |
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| Labels | |
| Website | colloughnan.com |
Colin John Loughnan (; born 26 October 1942) is an Australian jazz saxophonist, teacher, and composer, best known as a member of the Delltones, Ayers Rock, Judy Bailey quartet, and as a teacher of saxophone at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Although Loughnan has long been associated with jazz music, the first nine years of his career were spent as a non-instrumental vocalist with vocal harmony groups The Crescents, and The Delltones starting in 1958. In the 60s, he learnt to play the saxophone, performing as an instrumentalist with Col Nolan and The Soul Syndicate, and as a founding member of the Daly-Wilson Big Band. At this time Loughnan was proficient in saxophones, flutes, and clarinet.
By the early 1970s, Loughnan had included session work, arranging music for television, and studying in the U.S. under Victor Morosco to his achievements. He was playing with Kala in London in 1973, before returning to Australia to join progressive rock, jazz fusion outfit Ayers Rock. Loughnan was a major influence on the sound of the band, and wrote most of their musically adventurous material. At the end of Ayers Rock's second tour of the U.S., Loughnan chose to remain in America to continue his studies. He flew back to Australia in 1978 to take up the position of lecturer in saxophone, and arranging at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music Jazz Faculty. Concurrent with teaching, he was playing jazz, working as a studio musician, and acting as musical director for Marcia Hines, and John Farnham, for ABCTV specials.
Loughnan has played with many top international artists including Sammy Davis Jr., Freddie Hubbard, Shirley Bassey, Frank Sinatra, and Johnny Mathis. He has played with a very long list of Australian musicians including Don Burrows, John Sangster, George Golla, Rhonda Burchmore, Errol Buddle, Bob Barnard and New Zealander Ricky May. His long-term collaboration with Judy Bailey has extended from the late 1970s to the present. Another collaborator, guitarist Steve Murphy joined Loughnan to record the album Feel the Breeze as a duo in 1981. In the early 1980s, he studied under venerated saxophone teacher Joe Allard in New York City. He has led his own combo's the Col Loughnan Endeavour, and the Col Loughnan quartet.
Loughnan toured with Georgie Fame and The Aussie Blue Flames on Fame's frequent visits to Australia from 1979 to 2006. He has entertained both great and small, playing with the Sydney and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, and creating children's music in the studio for Australia's ABC Records. Loughnan recorded a solo album Ellen St., in 2007, of his own compositions, which was produced by his son, bassist Lyal Loughnan, and Loughnan himself. He was involved in a scientific experiment at The University of New South Wales, nicknamed the "Frankensax" experiment, which investigated the acoustics inside the mouth, and throat of a saxophonist while playing. He remains active in teaching and playing, often with friend Judy Bailey