Jump to content

Tony Oxley RIP


Steve Reynolds

Recommended Posts

A real giant

Certainly seems to be gaining traction online that he has died. And I'm sure Mark at Confront would be very sure before confirming.

I saw that Oxley, Taylor, Braxton concert too, extraordinary. Also saw him at RFH with Bill Dixon, extraordinary again.

Over recent years I've bought a number of releases on Confront and Discus and never been disappointed.

Such a long and fruitful career.

If I was at home with my LPs 'Ichnos' and '4 Compositions' would be on this evening.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, BillF said:

Saw him at Ronnie Scott's in the sixties.

There was some good film footage of him in action there in that 'Ronnie's' documentary with Stan Tracey and Rick Laird also in the house rhythmn section.

28 minutes ago, mjazzg said:

I saw that Oxley, Taylor, Braxton concert too, extraordinary.

If my memory is right (and that concert definitely left an imprint) the collective intensity these guys were generating had me thinking they were about to self-levitate at one stage. Extraordinary.

Edited by sidewinder
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm shocked - too soon!!!

RIP Tony

just checked my iTunes library & I have him on over 33 hours of recordings (mostly vinyl/CD that I've transferred to iTunes), starting at Joseph Holbrooke & running up to Birdland 2011 with CT (hadn't picked up "Beaming" yet from 2019)

such a superb musician

Edited by romualdo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not for nothing he won top place in the drummer section of the Melody Maker Jazz Polls for four years running (1969-1972). I witnessed him playing with Gordon Beck at the Barry Jazz Summer School. He was phenomenal and electrifying. IMO he was the best drummer the UK has produced. Apparently John McLaughlin employed him on Extrapolation because there wasn't another drummer available who could handle the complex time signatures. He will be sorely missed. RIP Tony.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/27/2023 at 4:39 PM, Roger Farbey said:

Not for nothing he won top place in the drummer section of the Melody Maker Jazz Polls for four years running (1969-1972). I witnessed him playing with Gordon Beck at the Barry Jazz Summer School. He was phenomenal and electrifying. IMO he was the best drummer the UK has produced. Apparently John McLaughlin employed him on Extrapolation because there wasn't another drummer available who could handle the complex time signatures. He will be sorely missed. RIP Tony.

Well put. Was lucky to see him a few times, twice with Cecil and once in duo with Min Tanaka (as part of a Cecil fete). Two of the occasions he was on electronics, but the first time in 2002 he was behind an extended kit. Beautiful. May he RIP.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good tribute from Steve Beresford in London Jazz News:

https://londonjazznews.com/2024/01/01/tony-oxley-a-tribute-by-steve-beresford/
 

I was lucky enough to be at the two London concerts mentioned above. Powerful stuff. He also played and toured (well, Manchester at least) with Sonny Rollins in the 60s. With Stan Tracey on piano. That must have been interesting.

Anthony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...