Martin France
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Martin France (born 1964 in Rainham, Kent) is a jazz drummer based in London. He is regarded as one of Europe’s most sought after players. He has been the rhythmic backbone on more than 50 albums working with some of the world's finest musicians.
Martin began performing at the age of twelve, backing singers in Working Men's Clubs with organ trios in and around Manchester, and in 1983 he began his recording career performing on several records for ECM records. France dismissed music college in preference for on-the-road tuition. With his friend and music cohort Django Bates, he had been performing with Evan Parker and Kenny Wheeler, and through their friendships had been introduced to ECM. France went on to record several albums for the label, and toured with some of their bands throughout he 1980s and 1990s. A further turning point for France was his role as a member of the famously democratically organised 1980s big band Loose Tubes where he began long standing partnerships with many of its members. In fact, founding member Django Bates and Iain Ballamy are now key members of the Spin Marvel live band.
A turning point in his early career was his role within the nineteen-eighties big band, Loose Tubes, where he began long standing partnerships with many of its members. His association with Django Bates has led to many diverse projects away from the jazz environment they normally occupy with Human Chain and Delightful Precipice. These include film soundtracks, jazz theatre, cross cultural collaborations and recording projects involving orchestras such as The London Sinfonietta, BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra and the ASKO Ensemble in Amsterdam.
He is also active as a studio musician working on TV and film soundtracks and is involved in programming and composing for many projects and artists, including his own band, Spin Marvel.
Along the way Martin has performed and recorded with some of the world's best musicians including David Gilmour, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Ralph Towner, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Arild Andersen, Mark Johnson, Steve Swallow, Bob Mintzer and The Yellowjackets, with Russell Ferrante and Jimmy Haslip, Gianluigi Trovesi, Nils Petter Molvaer, Bugge Wesseltoft, Mike Gibbs, Maria Schneider, Elvis Costello, Gil Goldstein, Stephen Warbeck, Joe Lovano, Victor Bailey, Sidsel Endresen and Maria Joao. He is also a regular performer with NDR radio orchestra in Hamburg. In England, he has performed and recorded with the very best of his generation and is currently preparing to tour with his band Spin Marvel, in which he plays mostly electronic and sequenced drums.
[edit] Discography
- Erendira - First House, ECM 1307
- Cantilena - First House, ECM 1393
- Balloon Man - Iain Ballamy, Editions EGCD 63
- Green Chimneys - Cleveland Watkiss, Polydor 839722-2
- Phaedrus - Julian Arguelles, AhUm CD 010
- The Third Policeman- Django Bates, AhUm CD 003
- Pyrotechnics - Human Chain, Blue Note 700659
- All Men Amen- Iain Ballamy, B&W Records BW065
- Like Life - Django Bates, STCD 4221
- Summer Fruits and Unrest - Django Bates, JMT 514 008-2
- Perfect Houseplants - Perfect Houseplants, AhUm 014
- Uncommerciality Vol 3- Billy Jenkins, VOTP VOCA914
- Aural Art Exhibition - Billy Jenkins, VOTP VOCD 921
- Actual Reality - Tony Messenger, VOTP VOCA AR1
- Clec - Perfect Houseplants, EFZ1101
- Music for Soya Sauce - Takada ShotenCreative Notes - Japan
- Eddie Parker Group - Eddie Parker, FMR CD09-111994
- Winter Truce and Homes Blaze - Django Bates, JMT 514 023-2
- Whole & The half - Buckley/Batchelor Group, FMR CD 11V0295
- Mayfest - Billy Jenkins, Babel BDV 9502
- Home Truths - Julian Arguelles, Babel BDV 9503
- Good Evening - Here Is The News - Django Bates, ARGO 452099-2
- Jazz Outreach Project - Symbol Records, SR20030301
- Dal Libro De Balli - ENAIP - ART024 "
- You Live and Learn Django Bates, Lost Marble Records 001YLA "
- Spin Marvel - Spin Marvel 010
- Moving Air - Basho Records SRCD14-2
- F-ire Works Vol 2 - F-IRE CD 09
- Mirrormask - La-La Land Records, LLLCD1031
- Snap Clatter - Perfect Houseplants, Linn AKD 063
- Skull View - Julian Arguelles, Babel BDV 9719
- Extempore - Orlando Consort /P. Houseplants, Linn CKD 076
- True Love Collection - Billy Jenkins, Babel BDV 9821
- Second Coolbook - Michiel Braam, BV HAAST 9810/11
- Double Dares are Sometimes Different - Ben Davis Group, FMR CD48 E0498
- Quiet Nights - Django Bates, Screwgun NY 70007
- Through Rose Coloured Glasses - Mark Lockheart's Scratch Band, Subtone Records 001
- Suburbia - Billy Jenkins, Babel BDV 9962
- Face to Face - Flemming Agerskov Quintet, DaCapo DCCD 9445
- Escapade - Julian Arguelles, Provocateur Records PVC 1019
- Alba - John Parricelli, Provocateur Records PVC 1021
- New Folk Songs - Mark Lockheart, Linn Records AKD 130
- Kolner Saxophon Mafia -Koln Sax Mafia, JazzHausMusik JHM 115
- Imaginary Dances - Mark Lockheart, StayTuned Records ST004
- Extempore II - Orland Consort & Perfect Houseplants, Harmonia Mundi HMU907319
- Now's The Times - Kevin LeGendre compilation, Cosmic Sounds CS29
- As Above So Below - Julian Arguelles, Provocateur Records PVC 1033
- Opus Absolutum - Charlie Mariano & Vitold, Rek TMP CD509
- Hundreds of Things a Boy Can Make - Huw Warren, Babel Records BDV2442
- Murmur - Madalena, Babel Records BDV 2027
- Themes From French Cinema - Dominic Alldis, Canzona CANZ CD4
- Bakehouse - Justin Quinn, F-IRE CD06
- Angel of Presence - John Taylor, CAMJ 7778-2
- Sister Rotunda - Tim Harries
- ULM - Francois Corneloup Trio, ICG 1206-1
- New View - Chris Laurence Quartet, Basho Music SRCD 18-2
- Jazz Anthology - Dick Walter, KPM Music
- Perception - Gwilym Simcock,
- NDR Big Band - Christina Fuchs, JHM 154
- Anorak More Jazz - Iain Ballamy, Basho Records SRCD 22-2
- Whirlpool - John Taylor Trio, CAMJ 7802-2
- Rhythm Dynamics - Martin France, KPM 677
[edit] Spin Marvel
He has been the rhythmic backbone on an astonishing 60+ albums working with some of the worlds finest musicians, so it's easy to see why British drummer, Martin France is regarded as one of Europe's most sought after players. Described by BBC Radio 3 as "so incredibly superb", France is now calling the shots as well as firing them.
Spin Marvel is France's solo project; a group of some of the best and most experienced British contemporary jazz musicians gathered together by France for both the studio and the stage. Journalist and broadcaster Kevin Le Gendre describes their recordings as "murky uberfunk that is way off the beatbox radar", and of a live show, the Guardian commented "they dazzled and perplexed the audience in equal measure… genre-defying madness… a fabulously futuristic band whose heart and soul paradoxically seem to belong to a bygone age of musical experimentation".
Spin Marvel is eclectic to say the least. It is heavyweight yet deep. Inventive and challenging. Combining fluid groove playing with powerhouse virtuosity, France augments his conventional drum kit with electronic pads that trigger various loops and samples - at times adding texture rather than pulse, at others, building from tightly woven complex phrases to exhilarating rhythms. His approach is unique. Rather than consider the rhythm section's input late in the creative process, Martin builds on the foundations of the music – the drums and bass. Indeed, some of the tracks remained just drums, bass and electronics. As Martin says, "I also wanted to have moments of space in the music, in effect to leave something to the listener's imagination. I left it to the other musicians to change the music with the idea that it would take on a life of its own and grow organically".
Spin Marvel has a distinct European sound, which comes as no surprise given that France began his recording career at the age of 19 for ECM records. Born in Rainham in Kent, France dismissed music college in preference for on-the-road tuition. He, with his friend and music cohort Django Bates, had been performing with Evan Parker and Kenny Wheeler, and through their friendships had been introduced to ECM. France went on to record several albums for the label, and toured with some of their bands throughout he 80's and 90's. A further turning point for France was his role as a member of the famously democratically organised 80's big band Loose Tubes where he began long standing partnerships with many of its members. In fact, founding member Django Bates and Iain Ballamy are now key members of the Spin Marvel live band. Since then, Martin has performed and recorded with some of the world's best andmost divers musicians including David Gilmour, John Taylor, Kenny Wheeler, Lee Konitz, Dave Holland, Steve Swallow, The Yellowjackets, Nils-Petter Molvaer, Bugge Wesseltoft, Mike Gibbs, Maria Schneider and Sidsel Endresen to name a few, as well as non-jazz activities such as TV and Film soundtracks. Martin is also a member of the winners of the 2004 BBC Jazz Award for Innovation, The F-IRE Collective - the most organic experimental musician's organization to develop in London. For Martin France's debut recording as leader, he is joined by a stellar cast of musicians. Bassist Tim Harries who has been described by the Guardian as "capable of a bone-crunching death metal bassline" has also worked with Brian Eno, DJ/Composer/Producer David Holmes and, David Sylvian. John Parricelli joins them on guitar and Norwegian Terje Evensen, whom France met while the the former spent some time studying in London, further cements the European sound with programming, sequencing and keyboards.
Martin France's Spin Marvel is fresh, imaginative and visionary, providing a bracing reminder of the persistence of creative energy in jazz. This is jazz of our time.
