Soft Machine’s Elton Dean dies
February 16th, 2006
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The legendary jazz saxophonist Elton Dean, famous for his involvement in Soft Machine, died on February the 8th, 2006, at the age of 61. Dean spent the last years of his life suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and was recently hospitalized in in Homerton Hospital. London, where he was morphine-induced coma in an attempt to aid his recovery. Born in Nottingham, UK, in October 28th 1945, Elton Dean is one of the most reputed jazz saxophonist in UK who had a legendary involvement with the progressive and avant-garde jazz band Soft Machine. He was one of the most original and creative sax players of all times. Elton Dean started taking piano and violin lessons as a child and he started playing saxophone at the age of 18 after he grew an interest for English jazz artists, such as Sidney Bechet and Eddie Condon. By 1966, Dean beacame a professional musician and was witness of the London jazz and blues scene, playing at the legendary Marquee club with Long John Baldry’s Bluesology, where he also played along with trumpet player Mark Charig, and a young pianist called Reg Dwight, who later turned into one of the most successful solo artists in pop music after having changed his artistic name to "Elton John" by taking his first name from Elton Dean and his surname from Baldry’s first name. Dean also played with Georgie Fame’s Blue Flames and Marsha Hunt’s backing band. In 1968, Elton Dean joined the Barry Jazz Summer School in Wales, where he ran into jazz pianist Keith Tippett and trombone player Nick Evans. They both later took part of Keith Tippett Sextet free jazz band. In the Autumn of 1969, the brass section of the band, including Elton Dean, Nick Evans and Mark Charig, joined Soft Machine to give birth to the most legendary period of the band, and releasing the seminal albums "Third" (1970), "Fourth" (1971) and "Five" (1972). During this period, Elton Dean also formed his own jazz band with Neville Whitehead (bass) and Phil Howard (drums) and played with Barry Guy’s Jazz Composers’ Orchestra. He also took part on Keith Tippett and Robert Fripp’s big band ensemble Centipede to record live an experimental avant-garde double album. In 1972, Elton Dean loft Machine and the Elton Dean Group became Just Us with the addition of Mark Charig and Nick Evans. During the next years Elton Dean started touring, backing several artists such as Loak Dikker, Hugh Hopper’s Monster Band, Supersister and Brotherhood of Breath. In January 1975, Elton Dean started a large ensemble called Ninesense, which included some of the most talented British jazz musicians such as Keith Tippett, Nick Evans, Mark Charig, Harry Miller and Louis Moholo. Dean later formed Elton Dean Quartet, featuring Keith Tippett, Louis Moholo and Chris Laurence, recording "They All Be On This Old Road" (1977). That same year he also formed the sax duo El Skid, along with fellow saxophone player Alan Skidmore. In 1975, Dean formed a new project called Weightwatchers with Keith Tippett, Jim Richardson (bass) and Pip Pyle (drums). This was followed by another quartet featuring Keith Tippett, Hugh Hopper and Joe Gallivan (drums and synthesizer), recording the album "Cruel But Fair for Compendium". In 1977 Dean was involved in several projects, including Ninesense, Gallivan and Kenny Wheeler, and touring with Tippett/Hopper/Gallivan, Carla Bley. A year later Elton Dean formed Soft Heap, along with Pip Pyle, Hugh Hopper and Alan Gowen. During the early 80’s, Elton Dean worked with Soft Heap, Elton Dean Quartet, National Health. In 1981 he joined Phil Miller’s new band, In Cahoots, where he was a member for the last 20 years. He also formed later the Dean/Etheridge Quartet, along with guitarist Etheridge. During the 90’s, the Elton Dean Quartet remained active and featuring members such as Sophia Domancich, Paul Dunmall, Paul Rogers and Tony Levin. He also formed a new large jazz ensemble called Newsense. In 1999, Elton Dean joined his long time friends Hugh Hopper, John Marshall and Keith Tippett to form the SoftWhere quartet. This band ended up evolving into SoftWorks when guitarist Allan Holdsworth replaced Keith Tippett. Finally, in 2004 the band became the Soft Machine Legacy Project, after John Etheridge replaced Allan Holdsworth. Elton Dean was supposed to tour with Soft Machine Legacy during February 2006. After his tragic death, saxophonist Theo Travis has been recently invited to replace him for the booked gigs. The band current line up is John Etheridge on electric guitar, Hugh Hopper on bass and John Marshall on drums. Soft Machine Legacy dates: |