Tony Oxley, Famous Drummer

[Victor Meldrew]

For anyone interested there is a good 'obituary' piece on The Free Jazz Collective web page https://www.freejazzblog.org/2023/12/tony-oxley-1938-2023.html.

 

One of the comments says:

 

"I studied drums under Tony Oxley for 2 years in Sheffield in the 60s before he left to move to London. He came with me and my parents and chose my Rogers drum kit for me. One day he arranged for me to play alongside Bunny Thompson (piano) and Gavin Bryars (bass) in his house on Abbeydale Road in Sheffield. After I got my kit he would come to my house each week to give me my lesson. My Dad used to take me to the Grapes pub in Sheffield to see his gigs there. On one occasion he toured alongside Ronnie Scott, Blossom Dearie, Ben Webster, Stan Tracy and others and personally introduced me to Ronnie Scott & Ben Webster (quite inspiring to a young teenager). Such sad news he’s left us. I have such great memories."

[St Petre]

22 hours ago, Runningman said:

Hi St Petre and thanks. Hoping someone comes up with his secondary school.

At that time Burngreave was a secondary school located on Earldom Road, Pitsmoor.

Edited January 23, 2024 by St Petre
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[Delbow]

I've not heard of Tony before, is there any of his work recorded and available on the internet anywhere?

[Jim Hardie]

3 minutes ago, Delbow said:

I've not heard of Tony before, is there any of his work recorded and available on the internet anywhere?

Plenty on YouTube.

[Delbow]

3 minutes ago, Jim Hardie said:

Plenty on YouTube.

Cheers, did he record under his own name or should I look for summat else?

[Delbow]

Wow. I don't know why, but I wasn't expecting something so experimental and avant garde. Full-on free jazz is not my thing, but I can respect someone who pushes the limits of their chosen instrument and he was certainly doing that.