John Etheridge
| John Etheridge | |
|---|---|
Etheridge on stage in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Michael Glyn Etheridge |
| Born |
January 12, 1948 Lambeth, England |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, blues, rock, world |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Guitar |
| Years active | 1966–present |
| Associated acts | Wolf, Soft Machine, 2nd Vision, Soft Machine Legacy, Stephane Grappelli, Nigel Kennedy, John Williams |
| Website | www |
John Michael Glyn Etheridge (born 12 January 1948 in Lambeth, South London) is an English jazz fusion guitarist known for his eclecticism and broad range of associations in jazz, classical, and contemporary music.
Etheridge began playing at 13, his early influences being Hank Marvin of The Shadows and Django Reinhardt. Although his father was a jazz pianist, he was primarily self-taught. In the mid 1960s he formed his first notable band, Rush Release, with Robert Lipson (the future drummer of Gracious!). The band was formed at the height of the British 'blues boom', with the emergence of guitarists such as Peter Green, Jeff Beck and, later, Jimi Hendrix. Etheridge played with Rush Release at London's Speakeasy Club in 1966, and on occasion would jam with other guitarists on the scene such as Eric Clapton.
In 1967, Etheridge left London to study History of Art at Essex University. While he continued to play during this period, he did not take up guitar professionally again until 1970. It was during this period that Etheridge further developed his interest in jazz and fusion, an important influence at this time being John McLaughlin's debut album, Extrapolation.
Upon returning to the London scene in the early 1970s, Etheridge briefly worked with the Deep Purple offshoot Warhorse, followed by a stint with Icarus during the final stages of recording their album The Marvel World of Icarus. He recalled: "I'd been on the fringes of the London rock scene for a couple of years, and one of the musicians I came across was [Icarus woodwinds player] Norrie Devine. I desperately needed somewhere to live, and he put me in touch with Peter Curtain." Curtain, the drummer for Icarus, set Etheridge up with a flat and offered him a spot in the band after their guitarist left. Though the album sleeve credited Etheridge for all the guitar parts, only one track featured him as the sole guitarist (though he did overdubs on several other tracks). He stayed with Icarus for their subsequent tour of Romania, which ended abruptly when President Nicolae Ceaușescu ordered the band to be deported. The Romanian tour marked their final public appearance.
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Wikipedia