Dear London Mums, put down the half-term permission slips and listen, because I’m about to let you in on something I’ve been quietly guarding for a while. There’s a night out in Soho that I’ve now been to three times. And every single time, I’ve come home sweaty with a smile that takes a good 48 hours to wear off. It’s called The Secret Sax Party, and honestly, the name undersells it. It should be called The Party Where You Forget You Have Children For Three Hours And Dance Like Nobody’s Watching (Except Everyone Is, And Nobody Cares).
So when I heard they were throwing a special edition for International Saxophone Day on Friday 6 November, a date so obscure that literally nobody sends cards, throws parties, or does anything about it at all, I felt personally vindicated. Because it turns out I’ve been celebrating this instrument for years without even knowing it had a day.
A quick word about the Saxophone
Where would we be without Adolphe Sax, who invented the thing in 1846? No Careless Whisper. No Baker Street. No Born to Run. Karaoke nights across the nation would be fundamentally emptier. Wedding receptions would have a hole in them roughly the size of a sax solo.
So yes, 180 years of the saxophone deserves a party. And The Secret Sax Party is precisely the right people to throw it.
In my interview with Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet ten years ago, he called it ‘Sexiphone’ because the saxophone is a sexy instrument!
How the party actually works
Here’s the format, and it’s gloriously simple: a full live band, singers, and a sax out front leading the charge and then they hand the night over to the crowd.
You shout a song. They play it. That’s it. That’s the deal.
The result is a set that leaps across decades in the space of a breath, soul and disco classics, stadium rock, 2000s pop anthems, current chart hits, all reworked with the same live energy and a saxophone doing the heavy lifting. You might get Valerie into a bit of Motown into something from this year’s charts, and somehow it all makes perfect sense. The floor does not stop moving from the first note.
This is not a gig where you stand with your arms folded, nodding appreciatively. Within about four bars, everyone is up. Within ten minutes, you’ve made friends with a stranger and you’re both doing the same slightly embarrassing dance move. By the end, you’ve lost your voice and possibly a earring.
The room
It takes over the main room at 21 Soho, three to five Sutton Row, just off Soho Square. Proper production, proper sound, but without losing that intimate “I’ve stumbled into my new favourite night out” feeling. And crucially for us London mums: it’s easy to get to. Elizabeth Line round the corner, Central and Northern lines nearby. You can do a full day of parenting, get yourself into town, have a proper night out, and still be home before the babysitter triple-charges you.
The man behind it
The Secret Sax Party is the brainchild of Leo Green, Jazz FM broadcaster, saxophonist, and producer who’s performed with everyone from Paul McCartney to Jools Holland to Lionel Richie. So when he says he’s bringing together some of the UK’s finest musicians for a night built entirely around what the crowd wants to hear, he’s not exaggerating.
His reasoning for the International Saxophone Day special is beautifully deadpan:
“Every year, the 6th of November comes and goes and nobody does anything about it, which frankly feels like an oversight. So we’ve decided 2026 is the year that changes, starting with a Friday night in Soho.”
I couldn’t agree more. It’s a Friday night. It’s Soho. There’s a saxophone. What more do you need?
Why I keep going back
This one has become a fixture for me. It’s not just the music: though the music is genuinely superb. It’s the atmosphere. There’s something about a room full of people shouting out songs they love and a band actually playing them that feels like the antidote to every over-produced, over-ticketed, over-priced night out in London.
Nobody’s posing. Nobody’s filming the whole thing for content. People are just… having a brilliant time. Loudly. Every session/party is different as the band takes also song requests and adapts to the crowd, which I as an amateur musician admire so much. They can improvise and this makes it so unique. I have been on stage a couple of times, too.
And as a mum, that’s worth its weight in gold. Because most of our evenings involve a mountain of washing up and a debate about whether it’s too late to start a series. A night where you dance until your legs ache and sing until you croak is a proper reset. It’s the kind of night that reminds you you’re not just somebody’s mother: you’re a person who once knew all the words to Proud Mary and can still absolutely deliver them.
The dates
International Saxophone Day Special: Friday 6 November 2026 at 21 Soho.
If that doesn’t work, the residency closes out the year with a New Year’s Eve Special on 31 December, the chance to see in 2027 with a sax solo, which is a far better plan than another year of watching Jools Holland from the sofa.
And good news: new 2027 dates have just been announced, so this is here to stay.
Remaining 2026 dates:
- Friday 9 October
- Friday 23 October
- Friday 30 October
- Friday 6 November (International Saxophone Day)
- Thursday 31 December – NYE Special
Newly announced 2027 dates:
- Friday 22 January
- Friday 29 January
- Friday 5 February
- Friday 12 February
- Sunday 14 February – Valentine’s Day Special
- Friday 19 February
- Friday 26 February
The details
What: The Secret Sax Party – International Saxophone Day Special
Where: 21 Soho, 3–5 Sutton Row, London W1D 4NR
When: Friday 6 November 2026
Tickets: thesecretsaxparty.com
I’ve partied hard at this event three times now, and I can confirm: it’s one of the best-kept secrets in London and one of the best parties in town. Full stop. If you’re looking for a night out that’s genuinely fun, genuinely different, and genuinely worth booking a babysitter for — this is it.
Grab a group of mums, book a Friday, and go. Shout a song. Dance badly. Come home hoarse.
Happy International Saxophone Day. Yes, it’s a real day. And yes, now you have plans.
For tickets and more information, visit thesecretsaxparty.com
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Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
