Originally coming to prominence during the UK jazz boom of the 1980s through his band "Jazz Train" (with Martin Speake, Cleveland Watkiss, Dale Barlow et al), a quartet with Julian Arguelles (Loose Tubes), numerous appearances with or opposite visiting American artists at London's Bass Clef Club and occasional weeks at Ronnie Scott’s, Simon Purcell has performed throughout the UK and parts of Europe both as leader and sideman appearing with, amongst others; Red Rodney, Kenny Wheeler, Eddie Henderson, Stan Sulzmann, Jean Toussaint, Valerie Ponomarev, Dale Barlow, Julian Arguelles, Bobby Shew, Conrad Erwig and Steve Williamson. Other musical associations with British musicians have included Julian Arguelles, Liane Carroll (who guests on Red Circle), Martin Speake, Christine Tobin, Anita Wardell and Cleveland Watkiss.