Tony Oxley – The Baptised Traveller
The first record I heard with Tony Oxley was the one with John McLaughlin. I guess this was the summer of 1973. The record was Extrapolation, the 1969 debut album by John McLaughlin.
By 1973, I’d become a big fan of Mahavishnu Orchestra. I saw them in Orlando. I’ll feature Billy Cobham in my Notes series when I get to 1972.
About this time (1973) I was migrating into avant-garde, free jazz, electronic music and improvisation.
The Rhythm and Blues / Top 40 bandleader I was working for thought I was losing my mind. Hearing…Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sun Ra and Paul Bley, from my bedroom record player.
We shared a very nice house on Clearwater Beach at the time. It was like a working vacation, that summer of 1973. I had a second drumset and started improvising in my bedroom with my newly purchased, Sony – Quadraphonic 4 channel tape recorder. (Very high-tech in 1973)
My journey into recording technology and sound experimentation also began that summer of 1973. I’d soon be discovering John Cage, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Harry Partch.
Juggling Top 40 music with the avant-garde, and trying to work as a professional musician, would always conflict with my employment.
Exposure to any music, that isn’t popular traditional music can lead to a conflict of interest. Though I was able to maneuver myself as a Top 40 drummer, bandleaders were cautious to hire any sideman that had a streak of Jazz, in their style.
The Kiss of Death…if you were a “Free Jazz/Music Improviser”
Looking back 50+ years, I can put various pieces of my journey’s puzzle together. This includes, examining my residency in Florida and the United States.
Even today, in 2023, there are only a handful of cities that support creative, improvised music. Venues that survive and produce “LIVE” music events.
When I was a “Walt Disney World - EPCOT” musician in the 80s, I subscribed to, The Village Voice. I would look to see who was playing in NYC. The Knitting Factory was the main venue offering concerts by The Lounge Lizards, John Zorn, Dewey Redman, Anthony Braxton and Cecil Taylor.
As a musician, from 1967 till 1997, I was unaware of the global history of creative alternative music. My main discovery would be the “scene” in the UK and London.
The UK “Scene” was created in (1963) by a circle of musicians / improvisers including Gavin Bryars and Tony Oxley. Derek Bailey was the guitarist in this trio called Joseph Holbrooke, named after the composer.
In 1966, Derek moved to London and started performing with Evan Parker, Kenny Wheeler and bassist Dave Holland. The venue was created by drummer, John Stevens.
I regret not having conversation with Derek, asking him about those early years when The Beatles, Stones and the British Invasion was evolving in London, as Derek performed improvised music and sound, in London, with his company week of collaborators.
I would imagine, musicians and groups in London were aware of this underground activity. (King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Soft Machine, Jeff Beck, Clapton, Allan Holdsworth, Ronnie Scott, Moody Blues etc.
My discovery of that history was a revelation. Something “weird and different” was happening in other locations. It was in the music history books. I just discovered it.
When I got the call to play with Derek Bailey in 1999, I didn’t know much about him. I knew his name from the list of “weird” players…my small circle of musician friends “turned me on to.
I was more familiar with the American improvising of Ornette Coleman, Art Ensemble, Sun Ra, Coltrane etc. Doing some listening to Derek, weeks before our gig was very enlightening. I heard and experienced something new and different.
I may be off base on this analysis. Listening to Derek’s discography, with a few subtle exceptions, Derek has a continuous thread of music loops to each performance.
Though Derek would say, improvisation is spontaneous, he had certain phrases I’ve heard many times. Those things were part of his palette. In My Opinion
When musicians decide to abandon conventional techniques in jazz or popular music, it can be career ending. Or, they can accept it and try to cultivate an audience in that arena. That arena is very small.
With the invention of “The Interweb” everything can be marketed globally. The music platform, Bandcamp, has hundreds of sites with (off the radar) musicians. I don’t know if anyone is selling anything and making money. But, the platforms are available.
Most of Derek Bailey’s records and catalog is on the Incus label. Derek founded this in 1970, with Tony Oxley, Evan Parker and Michael Walters. Incus was the first musician owned independent label in the UK. Derek was ahead of his time in the marketing jungle, when it was telephone, paper and snail mail.
Tony Oxley was born in Sheffield, England. As was Derek Bailey. Tony Oxley was born in 1938, he’s currently 84 years old.
Like Derek, Tony moved to London in 1966. He became the house drummer at Ronnie Scott’s jazz club. He accompanied visiting artist, Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, Charlie Mariano, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins and Bill Evans.
In 1969, Oxley recorded with John McLaughlin on the Extrapolation album. Tony Oxley’s Wikipedia profile has him categorized as a (Avant-garde, free jazz, free improvisation, fusion musician)
Those early “jazz” collaborations are not in that category.
I will agree that categories have changed over the years. One of my favorite projects that fall in those categories is “Interstellar Space” with John Coltrane and Rashid Ali. It was recorded in 1967. John Coltrane died that same year.
Derek’s favorite performance - recording combination was the duo. His discography includes duos with drummers including Jamie Muir, Cyro Baptista, Susie Ibarra, Han Bennink and Tony Oxley.
I’ve never met Tony Oxley. I find his drumming extraordinary. The thing that sets him apart from other “free avant-garde” drummers is this (He Swings)
A historical review into the past, the 60s drummers of UK, London is lengthy. From Tony Oxley to Charlie Watts and Ginger Baker, Ringo, Phil Seaman, Phil Collins, Mitch Mitchell, Keith Moon, John Bonham, Robert Wyatt, Bill Bruford, etc. etc. All combinations in Blues, Jazz, Rock and The Avant-Garde.
In America, the scene in Chicago and New Your City was similar for a few decades.
Tony Oxley was embedded in the Swing / Jazz / Bebop camp during his Ronnie Scott gig in London. (1966-1970)
In 1969, Tony produced his first record as a leader, The Baptised Traveller. Maybe that title explains his future path. Tony’s leader discography is very lengthy. His guest recordings include Gordon Beck, Bill Dixon, Barry Guy, Joseph Holbrooke Group, Rolf Kuhn, Tomaz Stanko, John Surman, Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley and others.
In my opinion, It appears Tony Oxley decided to abandon the safe, paved, listener approved, genre of mainstream jazz.
Tony Oxley got Baptised into the spirit of creative improvisation. I’m sure Derek had much to do with that. I appreciate Tony Oxley’s travels, off the path of tradition. In 2023, it’s unusual for an artist to explore new directions, without fear or validation from their peers.