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Warne Marsh

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Warne Marsh was born in Los Angeles in 1927 into an artistic family: his father was a cameraman in Hollywood and his mother a violinist. He began on alto saxophone but soon switched to tenor. During his military service he heard about the blind pianist Lennie Tristano in New York. He made contact, took lessons and played in Tristano's group. In March 1949 he made his first recordings with Tristano and Lee Konitz, including the record Crosscurrent.

Music and breakthrough

Marsh remained faithful to Tristano's teaching: the pure long line, no stock phrases and no cheap emotion, and endless work on a limited number of standards. His playing generally sounded cool, with subtly displaced rhythms that are instantly recognisable. He belonged to Cool Jazz and often stood in Konitz's shadow. His best-known record from that period is Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh from 1955, on which they improvise together. After that he withdrew for years and did not make an album under his own name again until 1969. Anthony Braxton called him the greatest vertical improviser.

Influence

In the 1970s Marsh received renewed attention as a member of Supersax, a large ensemble that played Charlie Parker's solos in orchestral arrangements. He died in 1987 of a heart attack on the stage of the club Donte's in Los Angeles, in the middle of Out of Nowhere. He remains an insider's tip among jazz musicians, and younger players such as Mark Turner draw inspiration from his music.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh and notice how the tenor and the alto saxophone improvise together in long, winding lines. Can you hear how little vibrato and effect Marsh uses?

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists