{{Short description|English jazz drummer (1964–2024)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}} {{Sources|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians --> | name = Martin France | image = File:MartinFrance1.jpg | background = non_vocal_instrumentalist | caption = France in 2018 | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1964|02|29}} | birth_place = Rainham, Kent, England | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|2024|09|05|1964|02|29}} | death_place = | genre = Jazz | occupation = Musician | instrument = Drums | years_active = 1980s–2024 | label = ECM | website = }}
'''Martin France''' (29 February 1964 – 5 September 2024) was a British jazz drummer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.marlbank.net/posts/the-20-top-jazz-drummers-in-the-uk | title=MarlbankWebsite }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://londonjazznews.com/2020/09/14/krononaut-krononaut/ | title=Krononaut – "Krononaut" | date=14 September 2020 }}</ref> He recorded on over 100 albums and was a professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/people/martin-france | title=Staff }}</ref> He was sponsored by Paiste cymbals.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.paiste.com/en/musicians/martin-france | title=Martin France - Paiste }}</ref>
==Life and career== France began performing at the age of twelve with singers in Working Men's clubs and organ trios in Manchester, England. After moving to London in 1983, he began his recording career for ECM.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://ecmrecords.com/product/erendira-first-house-ken-stubbs-django-bates-mick-hutton-martin-france/ | title=Eréndira }}</ref> He has been active for many years as a studio musician in London, performing on recording sessions for European and American films and television. He was involved in composing music for KPM/EMI in London which has been used for worldwide TV and commercial broadcast.
His use of electronic and sequenced drums and percussion has resulted in performances and recording sessions for many musicians. He released two albums with his band Spin Marvel.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/jul/15/jazz.shopping2 | title=Martin France, Spin Marvel | newspaper=The Guardian | date=14 July 2005 | last1=Fordham | first1=John }}</ref> They performed at Cheltenham Jazz Festival in the UK with the line up featuring Nils-Petter Molvaer and John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.jazzwise.com/other/article/jazz-breaking-news-john-paul-jones-and-supersilent-touchdown-for-uk-tour | title=Jazz breaking news: John Paul Jones and Supersilent Touchdown for UK Tour }}</ref> He was a regular performer with NDR Big Band in Hamburg.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://thejazzbreakfast.wordpress.com/2012/06/02/cd-review-michael-gibbs-the-ndr-big-band/ | title=CD review: Michael Gibbs & the NDR Big Band | date=2 June 2012 }}</ref>
France was invited to perform with the ASKO Ensemble, BBC Big Band, BBC Concert Orchestra, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, BBC Philharmonic, Bergen Big Band, Britten Sinfonia, DR Big Band, Duisburg Philharmonic, hr-Bigband, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, City of London Sinfonia, London Sinfonietta, London Symphony Orchestra, Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne.
He worked with Eivind Aarset, Leo Abrahams, Arild Andersen, Victor Bailey, Django Bates, David Binney, Liane Carroll, Elvis Costello, Palle Danielsson, John Dankworth, Sidsel Endresen, Paul Englishby, Mark Feldman, Mike Gibbs, Tim Harries, Arve Henriksen, Charles Hazlewood, Dave Holland,<ref name="cam">{{cite web |title=Circularity |url=https://www.camjazz.com/8052405141194-circularity-cd.html |website=CAM Jazz |access-date=30 October 2023}}</ref> Marc Johnson, John Paul Jones, Anders Jormin, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Joanna MacGregor, Charlie Mariano, Claire Martin, Bob Mintzer, Nils Petter Molvær, Evan Parker, Jason Rebello, Adam Rogers, Maria Schneider, Gwilym Simcock, J. Peter Schwalm, John Surman, Steve Swallow, June Tabor, Ralph Towner, Stephen Warbeck, Bugge Wesseltoft, Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, and Yazz Ahmed.
France died after a long illness at home, on 5 September 2024, at the age of 60.<ref>{{cite web |title=Martin France 1964–2024 |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/news/martin-france-1964-2024? |website=Royal Academy of Music |access-date=7 September 2024 |date=6 September 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.martinfrance.co.uk/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523111348/http://www.martinfrance.co.uk/ |date=23 May 2017 }} * [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/martin-france All About Jazz article] * [https://www.allaboutjazz.com/spin-marvel-martin-france-babel-label-review-by-john-kelman.php Spin Marvel article] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080519060112/http://www.zildjian.com/en-US/artists/artistDetail.ad2?artistID=2749 Zildjian article] * [https://www.soundonsound.com/people/django-bates-human-chain Sound on Sound: software sampling] * [https://www.jazzwise.com/other/article/martin-france-drums Jazzwise bio] * [https://15questions.net/interview/fifteen-questions-interview-martin-france/page-1/ Interview with Martin France] * [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p034dt7x BBC Masterclass with Martin France] * {{imdb name|1777832}} * {{discogs artist|Martin France}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:France, Martin}} Category:1964 births Category:2024 deaths Category:English jazz drummers Category:English male drummers Category:Musicians from Kent Category:People from Rainham, Kent Category:English male jazz musicians Category:Academics of the Royal Academy of Music Category:Delightful Precipice members Category:Human Chain members Category:ECM Records artists