When people think of John Martyn their thoughts usually start (and end) around Solid Air, his masterful jazz folk fusion album of 1973. Many would be surprised to learn that Martyn actually released five albums before this major breakthrough. This week Eddy examines Martyn's road to Solid Air.
John Martyn - London Conversation
John Martyn - The Tumbler
John Martyn - Stormbringer!
John Martyn - The Road to Ruin
John Martyn - Bless the Weather
John Martyn - Solid Air
LONDON CONVERSATION
His words are weaving songs
John Martyn's trad. folk guitar debut arrived in late 1967 in the wake of other guitarists on the London scene at the time - Bert Jansch, Al Stewart, Davey Graham, Ralph McTell, and John Renbourn. Containing some covers (notably Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's Alright) and with his young (Martyn was only 19) voice far from the bear's growl of later years this is a slight record but still very much recognisable as a John Martyn record.
THE TUMBLER
Won’t you leave behind your city shoes
And lose your bowler hat
With his follow-up in 1968, the Al Stewart-produced The Tumbler, Martyn expanded his sound, employing backup musicians notably jazz flautist Harold McNair. However this proved a retrograde step as the album consequently now sounds date-stamped in the flower power 60s era, more so than it's predecessor.
STORMBRINGER!
I'm John the baptist and this is my friend Salome
And you can bet it's my head she wants and not my heart only
Stormbringer! was a collaboration with his new wife, Beverley Kutner, a singer from Coventry who was also on the fringes of the UK folk scene (she appeared on the cover of Bert Jansch's It Don't Bother Me album). Beverley is credited as writer of four of the ten songs.
The opening track immediately demonstrates a change of style. Recorded in the then current hotbed of new music, the Woodstock area of upstate New York, Martyn has a full band backing including players from The Band and The Doors.
The harmonies between the two singers are good but Beverley's lead vocals alone are a bit too Nico like for my taste.
The opening track immediately demonstrates a change of style. Recorded in the then current hotbed of new music, the Woodstock area of upstate New York, Martyn has a full band backing including players from The Band and The Doors.
The harmonies between the two singers are good but Beverley's lead vocals alone are a bit too Nico like for my taste.
THE ROAD TO RUIN
The sun was red and the sky was blue
And I went rowing on the road to ruin
Apparently there was already some pressure from Island for Martyn to record on his own, and you can see why - this second joint outing with Beverley Martyn is one of the least John Martyn sounding albums in his catalogue. In fact the album as a standalone entity sounds like two different albums - one part Beverley, one part John.
The lead vocals are taken in turns and rarely in harmony - the Beverley fronted tracks are funky and upbeat sounding and (obviously with the vocals) nothing like John Martyn. I do prefer Beverley Martyn's tracks here to her offerings on Stormbringer! and her voice sounds more confident.
The John Martyn tracks are more down tempo and acoustic. In fact there are definitely some moments here where Martyn approaches the unique sound he would settle upon in later albums.
The fuller instrumentation is however generally wayward - we have flutes, tablas, piano and saxophone. There is even an instrumental (the throwaway and final title track). However one very significant session player was hired - Danny Thompson from Pentangle played double bass and would become Martyn's constant sparring partner through the 70s both on stage and in the studio.
The lead vocals are taken in turns and rarely in harmony - the Beverley fronted tracks are funky and upbeat sounding and (obviously with the vocals) nothing like John Martyn. I do prefer Beverley Martyn's tracks here to her offerings on Stormbringer! and her voice sounds more confident.
The John Martyn tracks are more down tempo and acoustic. In fact there are definitely some moments here where Martyn approaches the unique sound he would settle upon in later albums.
The fuller instrumentation is however generally wayward - we have flutes, tablas, piano and saxophone. There is even an instrumental (the throwaway and final title track). However one very significant session player was hired - Danny Thompson from Pentangle played double bass and would become Martyn's constant sparring partner through the 70s both on stage and in the studio.
BLESS THE WEATHER
Pain after pain, I stood it just to see how it feels
Rain after rain, I stood it just to make it real
Ok, as you'd expect, this, John Martyn's first proper "solo" album since The Tumbler, his fifth in all, and the Solid Air predecessor, is where Martyn really hits his stride. It's probably the first album containing some songs that he became renowned for, and staples of his live sets for much of his career - namely the title track Bless The Weather, Head And Heart and his groundbreaking Glistening Glyndebourne, a 7 minute "echoplex" treated acoustic guitar instrumental backed by jazz piano.
Martyn's maturing lyrics are also beginning to reveal ambiguities between the domestic bliss of life with his wife and new children, and his more temptatious male ego.
Beginners could safely start here and pretty much pass over the previous albums.
Martyn's maturing lyrics are also beginning to reveal ambiguities between the domestic bliss of life with his wife and new children, and his more temptatious male ego.
Beginners could safely start here and pretty much pass over the previous albums.
SOLID AIR
May you never lay your head down
Without a hand to hold
Solid Air (1973) featured some of Martyn's most mature and enduring songs: the slurry title track Solid Air (written for close friend Nick Drake), May You Never (probably the closest Martyn came to a hit and a sing-a-long favourite at live concerts), Over The Hill and an audacious electrified cover of Skip James' I'd Rather Be The Devil.
Martyn's voice had become deeper and bluesier, with words blurring their boundaries, and he expanded his guitar effects whilst retaining his rhythmic acoustic runs and percussive slap style. Members of Fairport Convention guested and the jazzy elements of the record are propelled by Danny Thompson's double bass and John Bundrick's gorgeous laid back electric piano.
Acoustic and electric elements combine in a magnificent acid folk masterpiece the equal of Astral Weeks or Liege and Lief.
Martyn's voice had become deeper and bluesier, with words blurring their boundaries, and he expanded his guitar effects whilst retaining his rhythmic acoustic runs and percussive slap style. Members of Fairport Convention guested and the jazzy elements of the record are propelled by Danny Thompson's double bass and John Bundrick's gorgeous laid back electric piano.
Acoustic and electric elements combine in a magnificent acid folk masterpiece the equal of Astral Weeks or Liege and Lief.
... AND THEN...
Martyn continued making exceptional records throughout the 70s and early 80s. In fact I'd say his body of work is one of the most consistent of any artist I know. Inside Out and Sunday's Child continued the Solid Air vibe with a move towards more rock as did the live album Live at Leeds. One World showcased a unique experimental almost early triphop sound, for me personally his peak, and Grace and Danger was a monumental break up (in the wake of his inevitable separation from Beverley) album of heartbreaking jazz ballads. Finally came Glorious Fool, a powerful rock album. That's a winning run of a 7 albums from Bless The Weather without a duffer in sight. Only then did Martyn begin to release some less inspiring middle of the road 80s fayre before a partial creative and critical rebirth in the 90s.
STUDIO ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY (courtesy Wiki)
London Conversation (October 1967)
The Tumbler (December 1968)
Stormbringer! (February 1970) (with Beverley Martyn)
The Road to Ruin (November 1970) (with Beverley Martyn)
Bless the Weather (November 1971)
Solid Air (February 1973)
Inside Out (October 1973)
Sunday's Child (January 1975)
One World (November 1977)
Grace and Danger (October 1980)
Glorious Fool (September 1981)
Well Kept Secret (August 1982)
Sapphire (November 1984)
Piece by Piece (February 1986)
The Apprentice (March 1990)
Cooltide (November 1991)
Couldn't Love You More (August 1992)
No Little Boy (July 1993)
And (August 1996)
The Church with One Bell (covers album) (March 1998)
Glasgow Walker (May 2000)
On the Cobbles (April 2004)
Heaven and Earth (May 2011)
STUDIO ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY (courtesy Wiki)
London Conversation (October 1967)
The Tumbler (December 1968)
Stormbringer! (February 1970) (with Beverley Martyn)
The Road to Ruin (November 1970) (with Beverley Martyn)
Bless the Weather (November 1971)
Solid Air (February 1973)
Inside Out (October 1973)
Sunday's Child (January 1975)
One World (November 1977)
Grace and Danger (October 1980)
Glorious Fool (September 1981)
Well Kept Secret (August 1982)
Sapphire (November 1984)
Piece by Piece (February 1986)
The Apprentice (March 1990)
Cooltide (November 1991)
Couldn't Love You More (August 1992)
No Little Boy (July 1993)
And (August 1996)
The Church with One Bell (covers album) (March 1998)
Glasgow Walker (May 2000)
On the Cobbles (April 2004)
Heaven and Earth (May 2011)
Excellent post. I saw John several times in the 70's. My favourite LP was and still is Solid Air. The trilogy of Bless The weather, Solid Air and Inside Out are stunning and in my opinion his best. I have a soft spot for the early albums especially the track Dusty from The Tumbler.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kosmos, I also saw John a few times but only from the 80s onwards. I don't know Inside Out too well - I'll replay it and also Dusty from The Tumbler. I'll be doing a ranking of all his albums at some point. My personal favourite is One World, then I'd have Solid Air of course (I first heard this on holiday one summer where I had a C90 tape of Solid Air, and Dylan's Desire - not a bad pair to spend a summer with!). 3rd I'd have Grace and Danger, although Bless The Weather would be close!
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