Julian Lage, 1956 Gibson ES-225 + John Martyn

[Archie]

Whenever I mention John Martyn (my primary musical influence) to fellow forum members who live outside of the UK, none have heard of him.
He was even by British standards a somewhat obscure figure. Mostly popular in the 70’s he was a violent alcoholic who beat his wife's and fought with many a man.
In spite of his ways, John wrote the most tender and beautiful love songs, which I suppose is the sort of juxtaposition one would expect.
He was a unique and phenomenal guitar player in the British folk and soul style and one of the greatest singers to have lived. He often played Guild acoustics, accompanied by a brilliant double bass player called Danny Thompson. John is also famous for pioneering the echoplex.
It is often said he fused jazz with folk to create a form of British soul music.

So I was delighted and surprised to see Julian Lage is also a fan and has recently done a tribute to the John Martyn song “Solid Air”.
He also plays this tribute on a brand new looking 1956 Gibson ES-225. I initially thought it was a new Gibson Reissue but it is listed as a 56. I suspect it’s been refinished?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/KTLd1VMcC0A

For those who may be interested in Johns Music, here are some clips. I was lucky enough to see him live 3 times before he passed and met him on 2 of those occasions.

Other acts at the time leading in the British folk style were people like "Nick “Drake”. John and Nick were friends and “Solid Air” was a tribute to Nick and likely the mental health problems that led to his early death. Unfortunately they never recorded together. Danny Thompson played (bass) with both John and Nick and was regarded as the "go to” bass player for artists in that genre.

Danny Thompson also played and toured with “The Incredible String Band". A very unique duo of guitar players who I have not heard copied since.

[Christian Miller]

Ah yeah, me and my missus big fans of John’s music. Saw him live back in the 90s. Great gig.

I would say Fine Lines from Inside Out has a bit of a John McLaughlin influence.

Also an incredibly dysfunctional human being.

Americans don’t seem to know him… they know Richard Thompson and Nick Drake but not him. Very cool to know Julian is a fan.

[Bushwackbob]

Thank you for posting this! One of my favorite singer songwriter musicians. Beautiful sweet melodic love songs. Saw him multiple times in small venues. His use of loopers, reverb and echo was extraordinary. Great performer who unfortunately lived fast and hard and died young.

[FourOnSix]

I saw John Martyn in Boulder, Colorado (or maybe Denver?) in the 70s. Incredible show.

My tastes in music are all over the map. I applaud Julian for his eclecticism.

[alltunes]

Man, that low E string on his acoustic looks huge! I wonder if Dave Matthews is a fan because I could sort of hear an influence.

[Archie]

Man, that low E string on his acoustic looks huge! I wonder if Dave Matthews is a fan because I could sort of hear an influence.

John was a big fan of weird tunings, It helped create his unique sound.

[Rolf Field]

Well, we know him in the Netherlands. Like his music a lot. That voice kept maturing.

[Archie]

Well, we know him in the Netherlands. Like his music a lot. That voice kept maturing.

Yes like Tom Waits’s voice kept growing too.

[tklectro]

Julian is an angel...I met him when he was ten years old, thirty something years younger than me, and he had a guest shot on an album that I was playing on...transistor Fender amp and a badly setup Strat...and he continues to be an inspiration. Of course he would know Martyn...he knows so much. San Francisco NPR station KQED shot a wonderful doc on him called " Jules Is Eight " when he was that age, and just getting started. They asked Mario, Julian's dad, if they ever had to make him practice. Mario laughed and said " we have to make him STOP ." You could ask Carlos Santana, Pat Methany, or Gary Burton about him...we have ALL had a jaw drop moment hearing him play...and the sweetest person that I have ever met.He reminds me of Johnny Smith, with more fire.

[Flowboy]

John Martyn was a formative influence for me. I hadn't been playing guitar for long, 3 years maybe, when I was off school sick. The radio was on & for some reason Solid Air came on, or rather "I'd rather be the Devil". (unusual because it definitely was not regular daytime radio fare in those days & I never heard it again until I got the album).
I hadn't heard anything like it - I had no idea who JM was, or what an Echoplex was, let alone that he was a pioneer of it, but it certainly caught my imagination, laying in bed & being swept along with the tide of echoes. I couldn't afford many albums as a schoolkid but that was an early one in my collection.
Danny Thompsons double bass playing is the perfect foil to Martyn's playing & soulful voice.

Funny I've not heard that Incredible String Band song for a very long time. One of my best mates was a big fan of theirs. I didn't know D Thompson was involved. They weren't really my kind of thing but one song I did like, or at least the first half of it, was "Dreams of no Return", quite atmospheric, with nice chords.

[Archie]

John Martyn was a formative influence for me. I hadn't been playing guitar for long, 3 years maybe, when I was off school sick. The radio was on & for some reason Solid Air came on, or rather "I'd rather be the Devil". (unusual because it definitely was not regular daytime radio fare in those days & I never heard it again until I got the album).
I hadn't heard anything like it - I had no idea who JM was, or what an Echoplex was, let alone that he was a pioneer of it, but it certainly caught my imagination, laying in bed & being swept along with the tide of echoes. I couldn't afford many albums as a schoolkid but that was an early one in my collection.
Danny Thompsons double bass playing is the perfect foil to Martyn's playing & soulful voice.

Funny I've not heard that Incredible String Band song for a very long time. One of my best mates was a big fan of theirs. I didn't know D Thompson was involved. They weren't really my kind of thing but one song I did like, or at least the first half of it, was "Dreams of no Return", quite atmospheric, with nice chords.

Thanks for sharing.

[Doctor Jeff]

I have to say I've not heard of him, but thanks for posting. I love Lage's version, of course, and love that guitar and the tone he gets.

There were a lot of great fingerstyle guitarists from that era. I will second the love for Nick Drake. In addition to unusual tunings and opaque melodies, his songs were often in unusual time signatures (River Man is 5/4, IIRC).

[Flat]

I have had the LP "One World" since the late 70's. Highly recommended! I found it in a used record store in California--but none of my friends knew anything about John.



1 Dealer
2 One World
3 Smiling Stranger
4 Big Muff
5 Couldn't Love You More
6 Certain Surprise
7 Dancing
8 Small Hours
----------

So I was delighted and surprised to see Julian Lage is also a fan and has recently done a tribute to the John Martyn song “Solid Air”. He also plays this tribute on a brand new looking 1956 Gibson ES-225. I initially thought it was a new Gibson Reissue but it is listed as a 56. I suspect it’s been refinished?

Regarding Julian Lage's guitar, in another thread the guy who loaned it to Julian was kind enough to clue us in:

The guitar he is using is a 1956 ES-225D that has had the TP and bridge upgraded. He also has a hum-canceling coil installed. I loaned him this guitar a couple months ago as he was looking for something with a bit different voice.