John Martyn dies

[Rosco]

The BBC is reporting the death of the great singer/ songwriter/ guitarist John Martyn

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgo...est/7858458.stm

[WorldB3]

That's sad, so young at 60 though he did live a rough life for while.

Solid Air and Live At Leeds were two of my favorite records. A little mix of Jazz, Folk, Blues with some World stylings in there and more.

"love is a lesson to learn in our time

won't you please won't please won't you bear in mind for me

may you never lay your head down without a hand to hold

may you never make your bed out in the cold"

[porcy62]

Sad, sad and sad.

Few time ago Davy Graham and now John Martyn.

[A Lark Ascending]

That is sad...though not surprising. He's not looked well in recent years and had a limb amputated.

In the early to mid-70s he was a a unique talent, responsible for some of the great records of the era. And, in duo with Danny Thompson, could still pull it off live in the late 80s.

To think he'd just got an OBE too!

[blind-blake]

Really sad! He put on one of the best concerts I've ever seen (with just himself). What an incredible guitarist!

[sidewinder]

More sad news. RIP

[WD45]

Very sad news indeed.

Still had it:

[mikeweil]

Too bad - there a few folky singers/guitarists who touched me - he was the one.

There'll never be another John Martyn: "Other people keep diaries, I make records."

[Jazzjet]

Apart from his songwriting skills he was an innovative guitarist with his use of the Echoplex, creating tremendous evolving soundscapes. The DVD of his BBC appearances has some great examples.

[sidewinder]

The DVD of his BBC appearances has some great examples.

The clip of him at that recent BBC4 'Guitar Gods at the Beeb' was indeed excellent !

[A Lark Ascending]

Apart from his songwriting skills he was an innovative guitarist with his use of the Echoplex, creating tremendous evolving soundscapes. The DVD of his BBC appearances has some great examples.

"I'd Rather Be The Devil" and "Outside In" were wonderful examples of this - there are some good mid-70s live/BBC recordings on CD. I saw him in '75, I think, doing this stuff with Danny T. I never cared for the more conventional electric guitar of later years; but at Cropredy in the late 80s he topped the bill on the Friday night with Danny and played using the echoplex as if it was part of his daily armoury.

[Guest Bill Barton]

R.I.P.

Sad, sad news...

He was truly a masterful musician and one of the guys who dynamited pigeonholes for me back in the 1970s, along with Graham, Bert Jansch, John Renbourn and a few others. I never had the pleasure of hearing him in performance but those recordings will live on.

[B. Goren.]

Bless the Weather was my favorite:

[Dave James]

Sad news indeed. Martyn's recording of Solid Air from his album of the same name accompanied me on some rather interesting journeys. It has an outsized place in my musical memories.

Up over and out.

[RogerF]

Very saddened by this news. With his bass player Danny Thompson, Martyn was one of the true jazz folk fusioneers and his heroes were jazz musicians. He contributed some stunning electric guitar work on Neil Ardley's 'Harmony of the Spheres'. RIP John.

Some more obits from today's British press:-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jan/3...martyn-obituary

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/o...icle5613933.ece

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/r...es-aged-60.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertai...60-1520400.html