Ballamy was born in Guildford, Surrey, and educated at George Abbot School, Guildford, from 1975 to 1980. He then studied Musical Instrument Technology from 1980-1982 at Merton College. He took piano lessons from age of 6 to 14.
He discovered saxophone in 1978 with three lessons and his first professional gig was in 1980. He played Ronnie Scotts as Iain Ballamy Quartet at age 20. He was a founding member of Loose Tubes in 1984. First recording with Billy Jenkins 1985 and first solo album, Balloon Man, 1988.
During his career he has performed or recorded with a wide range of top musicians including Gil Evans, Hermeto Pascoal, New York Composers Orchestra, Carla Bley, Dewey Redman, George Coleman, London Sinfonietta, Françios Jeanneau, Daniel Humair, Mike Gibbs, Randy Weston, Karnataka College of Percussion, Sax Assault, Jazz Train, Freebop, Nishat Khan, R.A.Ramamani, T.A.S. Mani, Clare Martin, Human Chain, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Tom Robinson, Charlie Watts Orchestra, Jeremy Stacey, Randy Weston, Joanna MacGregor, Delightful Precipice, Bill Bruford, Django Bates, Mark Wingfield, Jane Chapman, Bryan Ferry, Everything But The Girl, Food, Food for Quartet, Loose Tubes, Oxcentrics, Ian Shaw, Slim Gaillard, Ultramarine, Ashley Slater, Hungry Ants, Ronnie Scott, Gordon Beck, Britten Sinfonia, and Gay Dad.
In 1999, Ballamy founded the record label Feral Records in partnership with graphic artist and filmmaker Dave McKean.
In 2005 he composed the musical score for the movie MirrorMask. He will also compose the score for Luna, which is also directed by Dave Mckean.
Ballamy is an agony uncle for Jazz UK Magazine with his column "In the Saxophonists Chair".
As leader
Balloon Man (1988)
All Men Amen (1995)
Acme (1995)
Pepper Street Interludes (2000) with Stian Carstensen, Norma Winstone, Martin France and Matthew Sharpe
Signal To Noise (2000), BBC Radio 3 Play Adaptation of the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean
Veggie (2002) with Thomas Strønen, Arve Henriksen and Mats Eilertsen
Food (1996) – Food with Arve Henriksen and Mats Eilertsen
Organic and GM Food (2001) with Arve Henriksen and Mats Eilertsen
Veggie (2002) with Arve Henriksen and Mats Eilertsen
Last Supper (2004, Rune Grammofon) with Arve Henriksen and Mats Eilertsen
Molecular Gastronomy (2007, Rune Grammofon) – Duo: Iain Ballamy & Thomas Strønen, feat. Maria Kannegaard & Ashley Slater
Quiet Inlet (2010, ECM Records) with Nils Petter Molvaer and Christian Fennesz
Mercurial Balm (2012, ECM Records) with Christian Fennesz, Eivind Aarset, Prakash Sontakke and Nils Petter Molvaer
This Is Not a Miracle (ECM, 2013 [2015])
With Quercus (trio including June Tabor and Huw Warren)
Quercus (2013, ECM Records)
Nightfall (2017, ECM Records)
As sideman
With Loose Tubes
Loose Tubes (1985)
Delightful Precipice (1986)
Open Letter (1988)
JazzBühne Berlin'87 Vol.16 Loose Tubes
With Billy Jenkins
Greenwich (1985)
Uncommerciality Vol 1 (1986)
Scratches of Spain (1987)
Motorway At Night (1988)
Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 1 (1989)
Jazz Cafe Concerts Vol 2 (1989)
True Love Collection (1999)
First Aural Art Exhibition (2006)
With Bill Bruford's Earthworks
Earthworks (1987)
Dig? (1989)
All Heaven Broke Loose (1991)
Stamping Ground (1994)
Heavenly Bodies (1997)
With Django Bates
Summer Fruits (and Unrest) (JMT, 1993)
Winter Truce (and Homes Blaze) (JMT, 1995)
Good Evening...Here is the News (1995)
Like Life (1997)
Quiet Nights (1998)
You Live and Learn...(Apparently) (2004)
With Ian Shaw
Ghostsongs
Taking it to Hart
Famous Rainy Day
In a New York Minute
With Ray Russell
Childscape (1987)
A Table Near The Band
At Montreux Jazz Festival
With others
Dominic Alldis, Themes From French Cinema (2004)
Mike Gibbs – By The Way
Clarke Tracey – Stability
The Hungry Ants, Hungry Ants
John Donaldson, Ray Drummond and Victor Lewis – Meeting in Brooklyn
Claire Martin – Devil May Care
Linda Sharrock – Like A River,
Mo Foster – Southern Reunion,
John Stevens – Blue
Tom Robinson – Hope and Glory
Malaya Marutha – Span the Globe
Sax Assault – BANG
Michiel Braam – Playing the Second Coolbook
Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman – BV Haast
Louis Vidal – Vermeer
Iva Bittova – Plaza
Mark Wingfield and Jane Chapman – Three Windows
Compilations
Music With No Name (1996) – All Men Amen (Ultramarine Remix)
Melt 2000 Vol 2
Plaza with Iva Bittova
Commissions
1995 Estuary English – Apollo Saxophone Quartet
1996 Mirror Signal Manouvre – Apollo Saxophone Quartet
1996 ACME – Commissioned by Birmingham Jazz
1997 Oblique – Commissioned by SAMPAD/Birmingham Jazz
1998 Four and a half minutes late Jane Chapman, Solo Harpsichord
1998 Walpurgis Night Joanna MacGregor – Duet for Piano & Tenor Sax
Awards
1985 John Dankworth Cup, Best Soloist.
1995 BT British Jazz Award, Best Ensemble – Balloon Man.
2001 BBC Jazz Award for Innovation.
Group history
Balloon Man 1983 – 1993
Loose Tubes 1984 – 1990
Billy Jenkins Voice of God 1985 to date
Bill Bruford’s Earthworks 1986 – 1992
Django Bates’ Human Chain and Delightful Precipice 1992 to date
Iain Ballamy’s ACME 1996 to date
Food For Quartet 1997 to date
Anorak 2001 to date
The Little Radio 2003 to date
British Council tours
Romania 1985, Morocco 1995, China 1997, Senegal 1997, India 1996 and 1998, Lithuania 1998, and Colombia 1998.
Television
Jazz 606, Meltdown, The Tube, Bergerac, Illuminations, Stay Lucky, Right to Reply, Wogan, Ronnie Corbett Show.
Radio
"Cashier Number 6 Please" Documentary exploring the world of the ubiquitous automated voice – on railway stations, in the post office, on the phone and even around the home. With the music of Iain Ballamy & Ashley Slater. Inc interviews. 23/05/2005
Jazz on 3. Iain Ballamy and Stian Carstensen in session. 06/02/2004
Late Junction. Iain Ballamy and Stian Carstensen play live in the studio. Radio Three 6/2/2004.
Jazz Record Requests. Listeners' requests performed by Iain Ballamy, John Parricelli, Tim Harries and Ian Thomas. Live from the London Jazz Festival.
Front Row. White Horses TV theme by Jackie Lee and its enduring appeal since 1968 discussed by Iain Ballamy, with clip [3.40] Date: 04/09/2003
Between the Ears. Iain Ballamy improvises on the Drake song "It Was a Very Good Year". 29.12.02
Jazz on 3. Howard Riley and Iain Ballamy duo. 1.11.02
Jazz on 3. Iain Ballamy plays original compositions with his group Cob at Ronnie Scott's 21.12.01
Jazz on 3. Norma Winstone performs with John Parricelli and Iain Ballamy. 4.3.00
Jazz Notes. London Jazz Festival set by Ian Shaw, Cedar Walton, Iain Ballamy, Mark Hodgson and Mark Fletcher. 25.1.00
Jazz on 3. Iain Ballamy's Food for Quartet – a new Anglo-Norwegian collaboration between Iain Ballamy, Thomas Stronen, Mats Eilerstein and Arve Henriksen. Recorded at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Signal to Noise, Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman, R4, 1997.
Impressions. Iain Ballamy discusses his various projects and performs with his group Hungry Ants, with Richard Fairhust, Steve Watts and Tim Giles. 20.1.96
"Jazz at the Bath Festival". Human Chain (Django Bates, Iain Ballamy, Stuart Hall, Martin France) with Joanna MacGregor. BBC Radio 3 10.7.93
Straight Face. Group led by Mick Hutton featuring Claire Martin, Iain Ballamy, Nikki Iles and Steve Arguelles. BBC Radio 3 27.2.93
Royal Academy of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire, Trinity College of Music, Rhythmic Music Conservatory Copenhagen, Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
