Obituary
I’ve just read that John Marshall died yesterday (16/09/2023). I was aware that he had been ill for some time but had only retired from playing with Soft Machine fairly recently. Played with Nucleus, then took over with the Softs around the fifth album – Phil Howard left halfway through recording so John appears on one side and Phil on the other. He played on the remainder of the Soft Machine albums, and also on the offshoot groups which appeared with former members. He was 82.
RIP, John
This is him at the age of 78!
…and a bit younger!
John Etheridge is bloody quality isn’t he. Anything from Django to Softs, he’s amazing. Lovely bloke too, apparently.
Etheridge is indeed a very nice bloke as well as an amazing guitarist.
During his late-60s transition from straight jazz player* to jazz-rocker, John Marshall was drafted in as a session player for a few tracks on The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown that their drummer Drachen Theaker just couldn’t manage. Notably this one.
.
*Graham Collier, Michael Garrick, Neil Ardley, Mike Westbrook, Barney Kessel, Michael Gibbs etc.
Superb drummer. Plays on one of the great singer songwriter albums (IMHO) of the 70s – Jack Bruce’s Harmony Row alongside Chris Spedding on guitar. Here’s ‘Letter of Thanks’ (incidentally for a bassist Bruce was a fucking great pianist)
Sad though not unexpected. I saw SM about 5 years ago and he was supposed to be playing but at the last minute was unable to due to ill health. I wish I’d seen him. Tremendous player.
I first saw him with the Mike Westbrook band in the late 60s and early 70s. Excellent drummer. RIP.
This might be of interest
Neil Ardley, Graham Collier etc. produced some really outstanding stuff below the radar in the ’60s and ’70s. Definitely worth checking out.
I’m familiar with some of Neil Ardley’s stuff, less so with Graham Collier…
…I think I’ve found my next rabbit hole.
Neil Ardley – this is a good book / CD / download package for 20 quid:
https://jazzinbritain.co.uk/merch/neil-ardley-kaleidoscopes-and-rainbows-includes-two-cds-of-unreleased-music-and-a-free-download
Only 47 left of a 500 limited edition.
Thanks!
Purchased!
Not sure I can really afford it, but I’ve ordered it anyway.
Irresistible.
Arrived in yesterday’s post. Looks to be a very enjoyable (long-ish) read. Lots of pics too. The two CDs to be explored over the weekend.
That Jazz In Britain website is a real wallet-emptier. So much fascinating stuff!
@fitterstoke and @mike_h
As you’ve obviously visited the https://jazzinbritain.co.uk/music page you’ll have seen for yourself that there is some excellent “old” music on offer. It’s a great site.
For example: this 10″ LP + download for a tenner https://jazzinbritain.co.uk/album/solar-session, a couple of double CD sessions by Tubby Hayes (with Simon Spillett sleeve notes), https://jazzinbritain.co.uk/album/revisiting-tanglewood-63-the-early-tapes, some Joe Harriott stuff and much more.
This will be my next purchase: https://jazzinbritain.co.uk/merch/pre-order-and-did-those-feet-six-british-jazz-composers-by-duncan-heining-includes-two-cds-of-previously-unreleased-music-not-available-separately
Many thanks, Peanuts – tbh, I was aware of the site and have bought a fair amount from them, most recently the Penumbra II set and also some of the Tubby Hayes releases. But I certainly missed that Neil Ardley bundle!
What a great site!
@fitterstoke and @mike_h
https://londonjazznews.com/2023/10/15/and-did-those-feet/
I’m not normally one for a drum solo – but I think John Marshall says more here in four minutes than John Bonham said in 30.
https://youtu.be/UdgEtFqBpZM?si=q5fYoA6ocX2oKzId
Another unusual Soft Machine clip – Percy Jones on bass (!) and Ric Sanders on violin (!!).
Brilliant drummer. I heard him play in Hamilton Town Hall in 1971 with the Jack Bruce band. On guitar was the aforementioned Chris Spedding, on keyboards, Graham Bond and, on saxophone, Art Themen. Jack’s mammy & daddy were in the audience.
Colour me envious.
Perhaps you will be a deeper shade of envious when I tell you that, in 1973, I attended a Mahavishnu Orchestra gig in the Kelvin Hall Arena. Cobham, Goodman, Hammer, Laird, McLaughlin. Billy Cobham, another fine fine drummer and still playing as far as I know at 79. It was a golden time in my musical education thanks to my late big brother, also a drummer, whose picture features in my wee box above.
Bloody hell! And Kelvin Hall, of all places!
BTW, your avatar is a nice wee tribute to your brother, given his role in your musical education…