Tony Oxley

Biography

Among the founders of jazz-based free of charge improvisation within the U.K., from 1963-1966 Oxley was one-third of Joseph Holbrooke, a pioneering group located in Sheffield that also included guitarist Derek Bailey and (after that) bassist (afterwards composer) Gavin Bryars. The group began as a comparatively conventional jazz clothing, but by 1965 it got started playing totally improvised parts. The group’s comparative isolation from various other currents in United kingdom free of charge music — drummer John Stevens’ London-based Spontaneous Music Outfit was a modern — purportedly helped the music group develop a exclusive approach. Following the members from the music group shifted to London in 1967, Oxley became home drummer at Ronnie Scott’s, a well-known mainstream jazz membership. He also continuing employed in experimental contexts. After earning a reader’s poll within the mag Melody Machine, Oxley was presented with the opportunity to record being a head. His first record was The Baptised Traveller (1969); the record shown Oxley’s steadfast fascination with free of charge improv. In 1971, with Bailey and saxophonist Evan Parker, Oxley set up Incus Information, which became England’s top free of charge jazz/improv label. Oxley also caused the London Jazz Composer’s Orchestra. Within the middle-’70s, he created SOH, a trio using the saxophonist Alan Skidmore and bassist Ali Haurand; the group lasted until 1984. During the last one fourth century, Oxley offers performed numerous, otherwise most, of free of charge jazz’s leading numbers. Of particular notice is his use the Experience Trio, a endeavor with pianist Cecil Taylor and bassist William Parker, enduring intermittently from 1988-1991. Within the ’90s, Oxley led and documented with the Special event Orchestra. He continuing to try out and record with several European songs stalwarts, including saxophonist John Surman and trumpeter Tomasz Stanko for the ECM label. In the past due ’90s, Oxley started playing in duo once again with Bailey, renewing a collaboration that exerted a lot influence around the course of English experimental music. The live Triangular Display, attracted from two different concerts, made an appearance from Sofa Information in 2000. Floating Phantoms found its way to 2002. Advocate, which combined Oxley with guitarist Derek Bailey, arrived on John Zorn’s Tzadik Information in 2007. Oxley can be an achieved painter employed in an abstract-figurative vein.

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