Barry Martyn

Barry Martyn's influence on New Orleans jazz has proven equally decisive in his capacities as producer and advocate as in his work behind the drums. He routinely occupied the role of youngest participant—frequently by a wide margin of years—within the ensembles he directed. His introduction to drumming occurred in 1955, yet his instinct for leadership prompted him to form his debut group the following year, with his first recordings appearing by 1959. The revival idiom performed by the music's surviving originators remained his central pursuit. During his initial journey to New Orleans in 1961 he took lessons from Cie Frazier and launched the Mono label. Throughout the 1960s he backed numerous New Orleans veterans on their European appearances, among them George Lewis, Albert Nicholas, Louis Nelson, Captain John Handy, and Percy Humphrey, while returning to the United States whenever feasible. A move to Los Angeles in 1972 preceded his establishment of the Legends of Jazz the next year; that ensemble circled the globe and issued several albums. In 1984 he settled again in New Orleans, where he joined George Buck in restoring and re-releasing material from Bill Russell's Circle catalog. Martyn has participated in innumerable sessions, among them a 1976 encounter with Barney Bigard and multiple projects fronted by his own groups. As leader he has documented dates for GHB—including a later edition of his 1959 debut—Pirate, 77, Rhythm Rec, Swift, CTJC, CSA, and Big Lou.