Alabaster Deplume

Alabaster DePlume is the pseudonym used by Manchester, England-based spoken-word artist, writer, and saxophonist Angus Fairbairn (sometimes credited as Gus Fairbairn). He records and tours under the Alabaster DePlume name while also writing and performing theater with Dublin, Ireland-based circus aerial troupe PaperDolls. As a saxophonist, he performed with Manchester rhythm and blues group Honeyfeet, singer Liz Green, and others. Alabaster DePlume has toured northern Europe, appeared on UK national radio, and developed theater for the Bram Stoker Festival in Dublin. His album releases include Copernicus – The Good Book of No (2012), The Jester with Daniel Inzani (2013), and Peach (2015). Influenced by the spiritual jazz of Pharoah Sanders and Alice and John Coltrane, plus ethio-jazz, poetry, and Japanese video games, Alabaster DePlume signed with the Lost Map label and released The Corner of a Sphere (2018), which found him backed by a varied orchestra including cellist Hannah Miller, guitarist Rozi Plain and soon-to-be regular keyboard collaborator Dan Leavers aka Danalogue. In 2020, he released the album I Was Not Sleeping (a collaboration with Danalogue) and the compilation To Cy & Lee: Instrumentals Vol. 1. In 2022, Alabaster DePlume released Gold – Go Forward in the Courage of Your Love, an album of spoken word and spiritual jazz born from improvised sessions that were edited, re-woven, and re-worked into a unique listening experience. In 2023, he released the Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem EP, which featured two songs recorded during a break from his long tour promoting the Gold album.