Martin Fierro (saxophonist)
| Martin Fierro | |
|---|---|
 Fierro in August 2005 Photo: David Gans | |
| Background information | |
| Born |
18 January 1942 Mexico |
| Died |
March 13, 2008 (aged 66) Marin County, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Rock, jam band, jazz rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter, record producer |
| Instruments | Saxophone, flute |
| Years active | 1960–2005 |
| Associated acts | Mother Earth, Sir Douglas Quintet, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Legion of Mary, Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, Grateful Dead Zero |
Martin Fierro (January 18, 1942 – March 13, 2008) was a saxophonist who played with the Sir Douglas Quintet, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Jerry Garcia.
Music career
Fierro was born in Mexico in 1942 and grew up in El Paso, Texas. He taught himself how to play saxophone and as a teenager participated in rock bands. He concentrated on jazz in his early 20s. He toured Mexico with a band, then moved to San Francisco and joined Mother Earth, a blues rock group led by Tracy Nelson. He became a member of the rock band the Sir Douglas Quintet in 1968. He also played with Quicksilver Messenger Service and James Cotton.[1]
In 1971s, Fierro played saxophone and flute on Hooteroll?, an instrumental, free-form album by guitarist Jerry Garcia and keyboard player Howard Wales.[2] Three years later he joined another project by Garcia known as Legion of Mary. Like Garcia's Grateful Dead, Legion of Mary combined rock and blues with long improvisation.[3] He appeared on the Dead's album Wake of the Flood in 1973 and toured with them that year.[4]
In 1988, Fierro joined the Bay Area Jam Band Zero alongside founding members Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, and Greg Anton. The band is generally regarded as one of the foundational examples that pioneered the jam band style of playing. His tenure with the band would garner praise and even more affirmation of his improvisational prowess. In later years he played with the jam bands the String Cheese Incident and the Dark Star Orchestra.
He was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2008.[1]
Discography
With James Cotton
- 1968 Cut You Loose!
With Mother Earth
- 1968 Living with the Animals
- 1968 Revolution
With Sir Douglas Quintet
- 1969 Mendocino
- 1970 1+1+1=4
- 1973 Texas Tornado
With Quicksilver Messenger Service
- 1970 What About Me
- 1986 Peace by Piece
With Howard Wales and Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia, David Grisman and John Kahn/Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders/Legion of Mary
- 1971 Hooteroll?
- 1973 Wake of the Flood
- 1997 The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers: A Tribute
- 2004 Pure Jerry: Keystone Berkeley, September 1, 1974
- 2005 The Jerry Garcia Collection, Vol. 1: Legion of Mary
- 2005 Legion of Mary: Absolute Mary
- 2005 Garcia Plays Dylan
- 2005 Garcia Plays Dylan Again
- 2006 More Of The Best
- 2013 Garcia Live Volume Three: December 14–15, 1974 Northwest Tour
- 2018 Garcia Live Volume Nine: August 11, 1974, Keystone Berkeley
With Merl Saunders
- 1973 Live at Keystone
- 1997 Keepers
With Zero
- 1987 Nothin' Goes Here
- 1991 Live: Go Hear Nothin'
- 1994 Chance in a Million
- 1997 Zero Zero
- 1998 Nothin' Lasts Forever
- 2002 Double Zero Zero
With the String Cheese Incident
- 2004 On the Road: 12-08-03 Redwood City, California[5]
References
- 1 2 Ankeny, Jason. "Martin Fierro | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ↑ Planer, Lindsay. "Hooteroll? - Jerry Garcia, Howard Wales | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Legion of Mary | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ↑ Liberatore, Paul (15 March 2008). "Beloved saxophonist Martin Fierro dies at 66". marinji.com. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
- ↑ "Martin Fierro | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.