Obituary
Sad to say that Terry Cox, an extraordinary, unique drummer – and also, with Pentangle, an underappreciated singer and songwriting force (alongside the more obvious Jansch, Renbourn and McShee) – has left us. He was 89.
Before Pentangle he played and recorded with jazz legend Sandy Brown, Alexis Korner, Duffy Power / Duffy’s Nucleus (with Danny Thompson and John McLaughlin) and others, and during the Pentangle era (1967-72) he also played on numerous albums by others, jazz, folk and pop, from John Williams to Dave Bowie, the Bee Gees, Elton John, Shirley Collins…
In the later 70s (living in Majorca, I think) he toured and recorded with cabaret/jazz sensation Charles Aznavour. He was involved in the 1982-83 orginal Pentangle reunion (tours of Italy and Australia) and stayed on for two new Pentangle albums along with Bert Jansch and Jacqui McShee (and Thompson on the first of them): ‘Open the Door’ (1984) and ‘In the Round’ (1986). He took part in the final all-originals Pentangle reunion shows in 2008 and 2011, including several TV/radio spots and the live album ‘Finale’.
His drumming and percussion (including ‘that bloody glockenspiel!’ in his words) for Pentangle, especially during the original era, was extraordinary – like no one else, bringing often explosive low-volume power and dynamism to an already singular group sound, which would otherwise have been too soporific. Often, Jacqui was the serene centre and Terry was the storm howling around the cabin, colouring the magic within.
He was the principal writer, for instance, on the Pentangle classics ‘Springtime Promises’, ‘Moondog’ (a homage to another drummer) and ‘Helping Hand’, and on their ‘Ballad of Tam Lin’ film theme song ‘The Best Part of You’.
A genius.
Here’s ‘Reflection’ from an August 1972 Australian tour, chronologically the last bit of extant film of the original Pentangle and featuring a Terry solo. Magical stuff.
Another classic exampler of Terry’s explosive style, from a 1969 Bert Jansch album (with old pal Duffy Power on harmonica and Danny T on bass). I believe Robert Plant has just covered this on his latest EP.
Cracking track! Like you said, explosive drumming. RIP.
Can’t see it – what was it?
‘Poison’ from Bert Jansch’s ‘Birthday Blues’ (1969).
Thanks, Colin – I’ll dig it out and listen to it.
@colin-h I saw that Terry Cox had died and thought you’would put up an obituary with much more detail than I could muster.
Thank you.
Carol From Luton alerted me. Just a few words off the cuff – but he really was a one-off, completely brilliant.
Many of the drummers of my childhood inspired visions of being able to similarly hammer out the rhythm behind the tunes of the time.
Not Terry. Far too delicate. Far too subtle. So much in service to the song. So light yet so powerful. Percussive poetry. An absolute master of his art. One off and irreplaceable.
Condolences to all friends and family.
Three time signatures in one three-minute (almost) hit song…
My route into the Pentangle, via Take Three Girls (with very different lyrics!).
I saw the Tangle in 2008 and they were terrific as ever. TC was a maestro. RIP.
R.I.P. I remember his name from the first Elton John album. He drives this, the last track on Side Two, and prevents it from becoming a dirge, which it would have done in more plodding hands