Fayyaz Virji

Fayyaz Virji is a distinguished trombonist, composer, arranger, and producer whose career spans jazz, soul, pop, and cinematic music. Born in Tanzania and raised in the UK, he began his musical journey with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra and was a founding member of the pioneering Jazz Warriors. Early influences such as Duke Ellington, The Beatles, and Miriam Makeba inspired his passion for performance, composition, and production.

Renowned for his versatility, Virji has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music and remains a dynamic force on stage and in the studio. He is a long-standing member of Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and co-leads the band Fillet-o-Soul with Chris Storr. Fayyaz has also contributed to television, composing and arranging for BBC and Channel 4 documentaries including Science and Islam, Atom, Cromwell, The Seven Ages of Britain, Who Wrote the Bible?, and Science of Secrecy.

As a producer and arranger, his work includes albums and remixes for Carmel, Frayz, Aster Aweke, Dawda Jobarteh, Incognito, and modern ballet productions such as AfriCarmen by Bawren Tavaziva. He has arranged tracks for George Benson, Incognito, Mika, James Morrison, Chaka Khan, William Bell, and many Jools Holland Hootenanny performances.

Artists Fayyaz Virji has worked with include:
Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Jazz Warriors, Carmel, Basia, Carla Bley, Jason Moran, Andrew Hill, D’Angelo, Donna Summer, Jimmy Somerville, Howard Jones, Annie Lennox, Atomic Kitten, Fela Kuti, Mori Kante, Pet Shop Boys, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, George Michael, Tina Turner, Lauryn Hill, Ben Elton (TV session band), BBC Death in Paradise (remote recording sessions), Aster Aweke, Frayz, Anita Carmichael, Dawda Jobarteh, David “Baps” Baptiste, George Benson, Mika, James Morrison, William Bell, Ruby Turner, Beth Hart, Toots Hibbert, Melanie, Michael Kiwanuka.

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