American Alto saxophonist Bob Martin, who lived in London from 1997 till 2012, has died not too long ago on the age of 74.  Fellow musicians Steve Fishwick, Mike Gorman, Frank Griffith and Jamie O’Donnell keep in mind an inspirational determine with tributes. In unhappiness:

Steve Fishwick:

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Bob Martin was born in Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey USA. He began taking part in the Alto Saxophone while he was in highschool, starting his research with the nice and under-rated Gene Quill. After graduating, he attended Berklee School of Music in Boston between 1966 and 1968. While in Boston he studied with Jimmy Mosher and Joe Viola. It was while in Boston that Bob grew to become enamoured with the sounds of Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, Jackie Mclean, Cannonball Adderley, Phil Woods, and his former instructor Gene Quill.

Bob joined Buddy Wealthy’s Huge Band in 1970, staying till 1972. He joined once more for a second stint between 1975-76. He additionally labored with bands led by Al Porcino and Invoice Hardman. He joined the Bob Younger Orchestra in Atlantic Metropolis in 1976, staying till 1992. Throughout his time with Younger, the orchestra carried out with a formidable array of stars together with Sarah Vaughan, Billy Eckstine, Tony Bennet, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Sammy Davis Junior, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, and Gladys Knight. Throughout this era Bob happy his musical wants by taking part in jazz at The Ortlieb Home of Jazz in Philadelphia with the Shirley Scott Trio, or at Zanzibar Blue along with his brother Doug Martin, who is a superb drummer. Within the mid-90s he met his spouse Yvonne, who has hyperlinks to Hong Kong and the UK, they usually determined to relocate to London in 1997.

I met Bob shortly after ending my research at The Royal Academy of Music in 1998. James Scannel had really helpful me for Gordon Wellard’s septet and had enthusiastically advised me about this American Alto participant who was “the true deal” and was now dwelling in London. I went to the recording session and wasn’t disenchanted! Bob was all the pieces he was reported to be and extra. He was steeped within the Jazz tradition, his dialog peppered with phrases like “Straight Forward” and “Strong!”. He known as fellow musicians “Cuz” (brief for “cousin”), and my private favorite was calling widespread non-musical issues “Bb” as in:” It’s only a common, Bb automobile” or comparable. None of this appeared remotely placed on or pretend (actually, he hated any form of inauthenticity and appeared virtually allergic to it). However most genuine of all was his taking part in. Large sound, wonderful time really feel, and an extremely fluent bebop vocabulary steeped within the custom of all his influences. It was instantly evident that right here was a musician who had lived the life and discovered his craft by taking part in with and listening to the masters of the music. This was all very intimidating, as my very own taking part in had an extended method to go and I used to be very inexperienced, nonetheless attempting to get established on the London scene and study my craft. However Bob was very gracious, and I went residence impressed by what I’d heard coming from his saxophone and his variety phrases of encouragement.

Our paths stored crossing someway and we ended up doing many gigs along with Frank Griffith’s Nonet and excursions of France with the Glenn Miller Memorial Orchestra. I’d additionally go and sit in along with his quartet usually when he had a gig. Bob ultimately began reserving me for his quintet, and I discovered an important deal from his instruction, however largely from standing subsequent to him, listening to him play, and having to try to play as much as his stage. There was a troublesome love method to his mentorship. He might be exhausting…calling quick tempos, deciding on troublesome tunes equivalent to Pensativa and Repetition, and insisting on taking part in tunes I didn’t but know (one time I used to be sitting in with Bob with Clifford Jarvis on drums he insisted on taking part in Alongside Got here Betty regardless of me not understanding it! A troublesome tune virtually inconceivable to pretend when you haven’t studied it!). However he was all the time encouraging. It was a strong instructional method as I all the time went residence impressed and able to practise no matter it was that I didn’t have collectively but.

Efficiency highlights embrace a ‘decide up rhythm part’ gig in Italy which occurred to have Dado Moroni on piano, and a Ronnie Scott’s Late Present with Tardo Hammer on piano. Gamers with worldwide names and reputations that Bob ought to have been working with way more usually, however such is the fickle nature of the Jazz-world.

He was additionally very supportive to many gamers on the London scene, and he was perpetually championing all the opposite Alto gamers on the town (“…is a hell of a saxophone participant!” is a phrase I heard him say many occasions). Sadly, Bob was considerably of a perfectionist, and regardless of two or three makes an attempt at recording a quintet CD, they have been all the time scrapped resulting from Bob not being completely satisfied along with his personal taking part in, though he all the time sounded nice. I’m completely satisfied that I did handle to get him to launch his trio recording on our document label Onerous Bop Data entitled “Proof”, with Mike Gorman on Hammond B3 and Steve Brown on drums. So, there’s a CD on the market that’s proof of Bob’s greatness (no pun supposed).

Bob and Yvonne determined to relocate to the south of France in 2012. Right here he continued to play gigs and practise, and once more make an enormous impression on one other jazz group. There are a lot of movies on YouTube from this era, and his taking part in was under no circumstances diminished, the identical large sound all the time there, Bob sounding relaxed and completely satisfied.

Bob misplaced his battle with emphysema on the 1^st June 2023 aged 74. Though he hadn’t carried out within the UK for the previous ten years, the affect he had on the London jazz scene and the various musicians who have been fortunate to listen to him and play with him was immense. Many people benefitted vastly from his generosity, encouragement, steerage, inspiration, and friendship and he will likely be sorely missed.

Mike Gorman:

It was with unhappiness that I acquired the information from Jamie O’Donnell some days in the past that the nice altoist Bob Martin had handed away. I used to be lucky sufficient to be the pianist in Bob’s quartet and quintet whereas he resided within the UK and in addition, alongside drummer Steve Brown one third of his organ trio that recorded his album “Proof” on Onerous Bop Data.

I first met Bob, I believe on a Sunday lunchtime jazz gig at The Falcon Pub in Clapham throughout the late 1990’s not lengthy after he moved right here. As a result of he was American and had toured as a part of the Buddy Wealthy Huge Band there have been already whisperings about this new altoist on the town amongst us youthful musicians of him being “the true factor”. And we weren’t disenchanted!
Bob began organising common rehearsals at The Bulls Head in Barnes the place we might play by way of his repertoire of lesser recognized exhausting bop tunes and some originals by buddies and colleagues of his from his time within the US. I all the time received the impression that his charts, written out in his minimalist, barely scrawly script conveyed his overarching drive to expend as little power as doable on the peripheral however essential actions surrounding music, so he might get on with the precise taking part in. This manifested itself on the bandstand within the type of Bob doing little to decorate up bulletins with entertaining anecdotes and witticisms. He most well-liked to get these over with so he might do his actual talking and speaking by way of his horn.

And what a sound he made! Bob had all of it: language, swing, ferocious approach, projection, conviction, and a powerful hovering high quality to his phrasing inherited from the affect of Parker, Stitt and most of all: his mentor and buddy Phil Woods.

One high quality of Bob’s that I vastly admired in each musical and non musical contexts was his integrity. He had little or no endurance for obsequiousness or sycophancy and will spot it a mile away. Likewise, in a taking part in state of affairs I rapidly gleaned that what he wished from his sidemen was not essentially a strict stylistic adherence to his personal space of musical
language, however respect for one’s personal character and individuality in contribution to the group effort.

One among my enduring reminiscences of gigs with Bob is trying up mid piano solo and seeing him sitting on his excessive chair, alto on lap, seemingly having fun with the sound of the band by practising his “sluggish click on” the place he would carry a swish 2 bar free circle of his wrist and hand to a conclusion by clicking on beat 4 of the 2nd bar. Attempt it… No imply rhythmic feat!

Frank Griffith:

Bob Martin was a beautiful participant, bandmate and character. He’s nonetheless sorely missed by all of the British jazzers who performed with him and heard him within the years which he spent on the scene in London. He made a really vital and lasting impression. Certainly it felt just like the opening of a chasm when he left for France; his latest passing re-awakens these emotions of loss and unhappiness.

A tall, hanging determine with a full mane of wavy gentle hair and a outstanding moustache he resembled a personality in a Sixties Western. And that sound: huge and vibrant, laced with a shiny optimism of melodic testimonials from the put up bop vocabulary of his heroes, Gene Quill, Phil Woods and Cannonball Adderley. I reckon that when he first blew into the alto at age 14 or no matter he received the very same sound that his enchanted listeners loved all through his profession. I’ll miss his humour too : he would take the p out of the best way I answered the cellphone again within the day, imitating my elongated “helloooo” and reminding me that I used to be beginning to sound means too British…

Jamie O’Donnell: I really feel very privileged to have recognized Bob and I already miss that the majority singing, most lovely, most lyrical, and most heart-on-sleeve alto sound. His taking part in was direct and all the time swinging, as robust and particular person a voice as any of the greats.

Altoist Gene Quill, a buddy of his father, was Bob’s first saxophone instructor and Bob had actually handled how you can get an important sound from the tough vibration of air inside that piece of steel. Any time I attempted something completely different with my tone he’d give me a sideways smile and say “Too west coast”.

Bob was very variety to me and I’d take all-day classes at his residence, sitting subsequent to the range as an infinite pot of espresso would boil. He was a stunning, beneficiant man to hold with and it was all the time a pleasure to spend time with Bob and Yvonne. For years I performed quintet gigs with Bob and Steve Brown, and these are formative moments for me. On the finish of our final gig Bob mock-punched me saying “That’s what Quill would have achieved listening to you play these good strains”.