Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist

Lennie Tristano Leonard Joseph Tristano (March 19, 1919 – November 18, 1978) was an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and teacher of jazz improvisation. Tristano studied for bachelor's and master's degrees in music in Chicago before moving to New Yo ...

and earned attention in the 1970s as a member of

Supersax Supersax was an American jazz group, created in 1972 by saxophonist Med Flory and bassist Buddy Clark as a tribute to saxophonist Charlie Parker. The group's music consisted of harmonized arrangements of Parker's improvisations played by a saxoph ...

Biography

Marsh came from an affluent artistic background: his father was Hollywood cinematographer

Oliver T. Marsh Oliver T. Marsh (January 30, 1892 in Kansas City, Missouri, United States – May 5, 1941 in Hollywood, California, United States) was a prolific Hollywood cinematographer. He worked on over eighty films just for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer alone. Mar ...

(1892–1941), and his mother Elizabeth was a violinist. He was the nephew of actresses

Mae Marsh Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh; November 9, 1894U.S. Census records for 1900, El Paso, Texas, Sheet No. 6 – February 13, 1968) was an American film actress with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life Mae Marsh was born Mary Wayne M ...

and

Marguerite Marsh Marguerite Marsh (April 18, 1888 – December 8, 1925) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 70 films between 1911 and 1923. Early in her career, she was known as Margaret Loveridge. Biography Marsh was the el ...

and film editor

Frances Marsh Frances Marsh was an American film editor active during the 1920s and 1930s. She worked on many of Ernst Lubitsch's films and was considered one of the foremost editors of her day. Biography Frances was born in Texas to Stephen Marsh and Mae ...

. He was tutored by

. Marsh was often recorded in the company of other Cool School musicians, and remained one of the most faithful to the Tristano philosophy of improvisation – the faith in the purity of the long line, the avoidance of licks and emotional chain-pulling, the concentration on endlessly mining the same small body of

jazz standard Jazz standards are musical compositions that are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive lis ...

s. While Marsh was a generally cool-toned player, the critic

Scott Yanow Scott Yanow (born October 4, 1954) is an American jazz reviewer, historian, and author.Allmusic Biography/ref> Biography Yanow was born in New York City and grew up near Los Angeles. Since 1974, he was a regular reviewer of many jazz styles an ...

notes that Marsh played with "more fire than one would expect" in certain contexts. Marsh's rhythmically subtle lines are immediately recognizable. He has been called by

Anthony Braxton Anthony Braxton (born June 4, 1945) is an American experimental composer, educator, music theorist, improviser and multi-instrumentalist who is best known for playing saxophones, particularly the alto. Braxton grew up on the South Side of Chica ...

"the greatest vertical improviser" (i.e., improvising that emphasizes harmony/chords more than melody). In the 1970s, he gained renewed exposure as a member of

, a large ensemble which played orchestral arrangements of

Charlie Parker Charles Parker Jr. (August 29, 1920 – March 12, 1955), nicknamed "Bird" or "Yardbird", was an American jazz saxophonist, band leader and composer. Parker was a highly influential soloist and leading figure in the development of bebop, a form ...

solos. Marsh also recorded one of his most celebrated albums, ''All Music'', with the Supersax rhythm section during this period. Marsh died of a heart attack onstage at the Los Angeles club Donte's in 1987, in the middle of playing the tune " Out of Nowhere".Warne Marsh
Peter Madsen, Allaboutjazz.com, November 2001 He left a widow, Geraldyne Marsh, and two sons, K.C. Marsh and Jason Marsh. He is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

. Though he remains something of a cult figure among jazz fans and musicians, his influence has grown since his death; younger players such as Mark Turner have borrowed from his music as a way of counterbalancing the pervasive influence of

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of br ...

. Marsh's

discography Discography is the study and cataloging of published sound recordings, often by specified artists or within identified music genres. The exact information included varies depending on the type and scope of the discography, but a discography entry ...

remains somewhat scattered and elusive, as much of it was done for small labels, but more and more of his work has been issued on compact disc in recent years. A documentary is being made about him: ''Warne Marsh: An Improvised Life'', directed by his eldest son, K.C. Marsh.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

* '' Live in Hollywood'' ( Xanadu, 1952

979 Year 979 ( CMLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * March 24 – Second Battle of Pankaleia: An Ibero-Byzantine expeditionary ...

*'' Lee Konitz with Warne Marsh'' (

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

, 1955) with

Lee Konitz Leon Konitz (October 13, 1927 – April 15, 2020) was an American composer and alto saxophonist. He performed successfully in a wide range of jazz styles, including bebop, cool jazz, and avant-garde jazz. Konitz's association with the cool jazz ...

* ''

Jazz of Two Cities ''Jazz of Two Cities'', is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh recorded in 1956 and originally released on the Imperial label.Edwards, D. & Chapman, MImperial Album Discography, Part 2 (1956–1958): LPs 9001-9050accessed May 12, 2017

'' (

Imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texa ...

, 1956) also released as ''The Winds of Marsh'' * '' Art Pepper with Warne Marsh'' (

Contemporary Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

, 1956

986 Year 986 ( CMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * August 17 – Battle of the Gates of Trajan: Emperor Basil II leads a Byz ...

with

Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American alto saxophonist and very occasional tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. Active in West Coast jazz, Pepper came to prominence in Stan Kenton's big band. He was known ...

*'' The Right Combination'' (

Riverside Riverside may refer to: Places Australia * Riverside, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston, Tasmania Canada * Riverside (electoral district), in the Yukon * Riverside, Calgary, a neighbourhood in Alberta * Riverside, Manitoba, a former rural m ...

, 1957) with

Joe Albany Joe Albany (born Joseph Albani; January 24, 1924 – January 12, 1988) was an American modern jazz pianist who played bebop with Charlie Parker as well as being a leader on his own recordings. Life and career Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, ...

* ''

Music for Prancing ''Music for Prancing'' is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh recorded in 1957 and originally released on the Mode label.Warne Marsh Warne Marion Marsh (October 26, 1927 – December 18, 1987) was an American tenor saxophonist. Born in Los Angeles, his playing first came to prominence in the 1950s as a protégé of pianist Lennie Tristano and earned attention in the 1970s as ...

'' (Atlantic, 1958) *''

The Art of Improvising ''The Art of Improvising'' (subtitled ''Solo Excerpts from 1959 Sessions at the Half Note''), is a live album by saxophonist Warne Marsh recorded in 1959 and released on the Revelation label in 1974.Victor_Herbert.html" ;"title="ndian Summer" (Vic ...

'' (

Revelation In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing of some form of truth or knowledge through communication with a deity or other supernatural entity or entities. Background Inspiration – such as that bestowed by God on the ...

, 1959

974 Year 974 ( CMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Battle of Danevirke: Emperor Otto II defeats the rebel forces of King Harald I, who ha ...

*''

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'' (Revelation, 1959

977 Year 977 ( CMLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * May – Boris II, dethroned emperor (''tsar'') of Bulgaria, and his brother Roman ma ...

* ''

Release Record Send Tape Release may refer to: * Art release, the public distribution of an artistic production, such as a film, album, or song * Legal release, a legal instrument * News release, a communication directed at the news media * Release (ISUP), a code to ident ...

'' (Wave, 1959-60

969 Year 969 ( CMLXIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 969th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 969th year of the 1st millennium, the 69th ...

* '' Jazz from the East Village'' (Wave, 1960

* ''

Ne Plus Ultra NE, Ne or ne may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Neutral Evil, an alignment in the American role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' * New Edition, an American vocal group * Nicomachean Ethics, a collection of ten books by Greek philosopher Ar ...

'' (Revelation, 1969) * ''

Report of the 1st Annual Symposium on Relaxed Improvisation ''Report of the 1st Annual Symposium on Relaxed Improvisation'', is an album by saxophonists Warne Marsh and Gary Foster with pianist Clare Fischer recorded in 1972 and released on the Revelation label.Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorate ...

and Gary Foster * '' Warne Marsh Quintet: Jazz Exchange Vol. 1'' ( Storyville, 1975

976 Year 976 ( CMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * January 10 – Emperor John I Tzimiskes dies at Constantinople, after re ...

with Lee Konitz * '' Live at the Montmartre Club: Jazz Exchange Vol. 2'' (Storyville, 1975

with Lee Konitz * '' Warne Marsh Lee Konitz: Jazz Exchange Vol. 3'' (Storyville, 1975

985 Year 985 ( CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theoph ...

with Lee Konitz * ''

The Unissued 1975 Copenhagen Studio Recordings ''The Unissued 1975 Copenhagen Studio Recordings'' is an album by the Warne Marsh Quartet, recorded in Denmark in late 1975 but not released on the Storyville label until 1997.

'' (Storyville, 1975

997 Year 997 (Roman numerals, CMXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 1 February: Empress Teishi gives birth to Princess Shushi - she is the first ...

* ''

The Unissued Copenhagen Studio Recordings ''The Unissued Copenhagen Studio Recordings'', is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh's Trio recorded in Denmark in late 1975 but not released on the Storyville label until 1997.

'' (Storyville, 1975

* ''

All Music AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

'' (

Nessa Nessa Diab, known mononymously as Nessa, is an American radio and TV personality and television host. Early life and education Nessa was born to an Egyptian father and mother. She has two brothers. She grew up in Southern California but her ...

, 1976) *''

Lee Konitz Meets Warne Marsh Again ''Lee Konitz Meets Warne Marsh Again'' is a live album by American jazz saxophonists Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh recorded at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in 1976 and released on the Pausa label.Pausa, 1976) with Lee Konitz * ''

Tenor Gladness ''Tenor Gladness'', is an album by saxophonists Lew Tabackin and Warne Marsh recorded in 1976 and originally released on the Japanese Disco Mate label before being released in the U. S. on Inner City Records.Godwin, MDiscography of Warne Marion M ...

'' (Discomate, 1976) with

Lew Tabackin Lewis Barry Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flutist. He is married to pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi with whom he has co-led large ensembles since the 1970s. Biography Tabackin started learning flute at age 1 ...

* '' Warne Out'' ( Interplay, 1977) * ''

Apogee An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. For example, the apsides of the Earth are called the aphelion and perihelion. General description There are two apsides in any ellip ...

'' (

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

, 1978) with

Pete Christlieb Pete Christlieb (born February 16, 1945) is an American jazz bebop, West Coast jazz and hard bop tenor saxophonist. Biography Christlieb was born in Los Angeles, California, United States, and is the son of bassoonist Don Christlieb. Christlieb ...

* '' Conversations with Warne Volume 1'' ( Criss Cross, 1978 991 with Pete Christlieb *'' Conversations with Warne Volume 2'' (Criss Cross Jazz, 1978 991 with Pete Christlieb * ''

How Deep, How High ''How Deep, How High'', is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh and pianist Sal Mosca recorded in concert in 1976 and studio in 1979 and released on the Interplay label.

'' (Interplay, 1976/79 980 with

Sal Mosca Salvatore Joseph Mosca (April 27, 1927 – July 28, 2007) was an American jazz pianist who was a student of Lennie Tristano. Mosca was born in Mount Vernon, New York, United States, to Italian American parents. He worked in cool jazz and post-bo ...

* '' I Remember You...'' ( Spotlite, 1980) with

Karin Krog Karin Krog (born 15 May 1937) is a Norwegian jazz singer. Life and career Krog began singing jazz as a teenager and attracted attention while performing in jam sessions in Oslo. In 1955, she was hired by the pianist Kjell Karlsen to sing in ...

and Red Mitchell * '' Star Highs'' (Criss Cross Jazz, 1982) * '' Warne Marsh Meets Gary Foster'' (

East Wind An east wind is a wind that originates in the east and blows in a westward direction. This wind is referenced as symbolism in mythology, poetry and literature. In mythology In Greek mythology, Eurus, the east wind, was the only wind not associate ...

, 1982) with Gary Foster * ''

A Ballad Album ''A Ballad Album'', is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh which was recorded in 1983 and released on the Dutch Criss Cross Jazz label. Reception The Allmusic review states: Track listing # " I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" (Jim ...

'' (Criss Cross, 1983) with Lou Levy * ''

Posthumous Posthumous may refer to: * Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death * Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death * Posthumous (album), ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987 * ...

'' (Interplay, 1985 987 released with additional tracks as ''Newly Warne'' (Storyville, 1985 989 * ''

Ballad for You ''Ballad for You'', is an album by saxophonist Warne Marsh and pianist Susan Chen recorded in 1985 and released on the Interplay label.

'' (Interplay, 1985

995 Year 995 ( CMXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Japan * 17 May - Fujiwara no Michitaka (imperial regent) dies. * 3 June: Fujiwara no Michikane gain ...

with Susan Chen * '' Warne Marsh & Susan Chen'' (Interplay, 1985 987 with Susan Chen * '' Back Home'' (Criss Cross, 1986) * '' Two Days in the Life of...'' (Interplay, 1987) * ''Red Mitchell/Warne Marsh Big Two'' (Storyville, 1987) * ''Live at the Montmartre Club: Jazz Exchange, Vol. 3'' (Storyville, 1987) * ''For the Time Being'' ( Hot Club, 1990) * ''Live at Montmartre, Vol. 3'' (Storyville, 1995) * ''Red Mitchell-Warne Marsh Big Two, Vol. 2'' (Storyville, 1998) * ''I Got a Good One for You'' (Storyville, 2000) * ''Live in Las Vegas, 1962'' (Naked City Jazz, 2000) * ''Personnel Statement'' (3D, 2002) * ''Marshlands'' (Storyville, 2003) * ''Final Interplay'' (

Why Not Why Not may refer to: Film and TV * '' Why Not? with Shania Twain'', an American TV show * '' Pourquoi pas!'' (''Why Not!''), a 1977 French film starring Sami Frey * ''Why Not?'', a 2019 short thriller movie directed by Buğra Mert Alkayalar ...

, 2004) * ''Duo Live at Sweet Basil 1980'' (

Fresh Sound Fresh Sound, or Fresh Sound New Talent, is a jazz record label established in Barcelona, Spain, by Jordi Pujol. The label was initially founded as a reissue label. The catalog includes work by musicians both major and minor that was recorded be ...

, 2004) * ''Berlin 1980'' (Gambit, 2006) * ''In Copenhagen'' (Storyville, 2007)

As co-leader/sideman

With Elek Bacsik * ''Bird and Dizzy – a Musical Tribute'' (Flying Dutchman, 1875) With

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

* ''

Blues for a Reason ''Blues for a Reason'' is an album by trumpeter Chet Baker which was recorded in 1984 and released by Criss Cross Jazz.Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

* ''

Crosscurrents ''CrossCurrents'' is a quarterly academic journal published by the Association for Public Religion and Intellectual Life (before 1990, it was published by the Convergence). Now published as a peer-reviewed academic journalAccording to the journal ...

'' (Fantasy, 1977) With

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorate ...

* ''

Thesaurus A thesaurus (plural ''thesauri'' or ''thesauruses'') or synonym dictionary is a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words. They are often used by writers to help find the best word to express an idea: Synonym diction ...

'' (Atlantic, 1969) With

* '' Subconscious-Lee'' (Prestige, 1950) * '' Live at the Half Note'' (Verve, 1959

994 Year 994 ( CMXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * September 15 – Battle of the Orontes: Fatimid forces, under Turkish gener ...

* '' Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre'' (Verve, 1959)

References

External links

Fan page for documentary, "Warne Marsh: An Improvised Life"
*http://www.warnemarsh.info – The Warne Marsh Web Site with a comprehensive discography, etc. *http://auroranovapublishing.net – Web Site for Aurora Nova Publishing and the works of Marcus M. Cornelius *https://www.johnklopotowski.com/book-preview – Memoirs and studies drawn from experiences as a student of Warne Marsh, 1982–1987. (John Klopotowski) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Marsh, Warne 1927 births 1987 deaths Cool jazz saxophonists American male saxophonists Musicians who died on stage Xanadu Records artists Criss Cross Jazz artists Nessa Records artists Hot Club Records artists Musicians from Los Angeles 20th-century American saxophonists Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Storyville Records artists Supersax members

Biography

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As co-leader/sideman

References

Further reading

External links