At the age of 11 Colin became choral scholar at Magdalen College School, Oxford. In the 1980s he studied composition and keyboards at Oxford University and, all the while, he was developing his jazz playing and arranging skills in the clubs of London.
Over the next decade, Colin worked as player, composer and arranger, mixing TV and theatre work with his role as musical director of the 30's-style orchestra Vile Bodies.
Influenced by Earl Hines and Teddy Wilson, Colin once toured with The Inkspots.
He was the pianist, arranger and musical director on Bryan Ferry's 'As Time Goes By' album and the tour to promote that album. He was enlisted as pianist and musical director on the Roxy Music reunion tour 2001. Colin has gone on to work closely with Bryan Ferry in arranging and production for some of the 'Frantic' album and is also the pianist & musical director on the 'Frantic' 2002 tour.
