Paul Rutherford (trombonist)


Paul William Rutherford was an English free improvising trombonist.

Biography

Born in Greenwich, South East London, England, Rutherford initially played saxophone but switched to trombone. During the 1960s, he taught at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
In 1970, Rutherford, guitarist Derek Bailey and bassist Barry Guy formed the improvising group Iskra 1903, which lasted until 1973. The formation was documented on a double album from Incus, later reissued with much bonus material on the three-CD set Chapter One. A film soundtrack was separately released as Buzz Soundtrack. Iskra 1903 was one of the earliest free improvising groups to omit a drummer/percussionist, permitting the players to explore a range of textures and dynamics which set it apart from such other contemporary improvising ensembles as SME and AMM. The group's unusual name is the Slavic word for "spark"; it was the title of the Iskra revolutionary newspaper edited by Lenin. The "1903" designation means "20th century music for trio"; occasionally Evan Parker played with the group and Rutherford also at one point assembled a 12-piece ensemble called, inevitably, Iskra 1912.
The group was later revived with Philipp Wachsmann replacing Bailey, a phase of the group's life that lasted from roughly 1977 to 1995; its earlier work is documented on Chapter Two and its final recordings were issued on Maya and Emanem.
Rutherford also played with Globe Unity Orchestra, London Jazz Composer's Orchestra, Centipede, the Mike Westbrook Orchestra, and the Orckestra, a merger of avant-rock group Henry Cow, the Mike Westbrook Brass Band and folk singer Frankie Armstrong. He also played a very small number of gigs with Soft Machine. He is perhaps most famous for solo trombone improvisations.
Rutherford died of cirrhosis and a ruptured aorta on 5 August 2007, at the age of 67.
In November 2007, a memorial concert for Rutherford took place at the Red Rose Club in North London, at which musician friends played free jazz. In recognition of Rutherford's strong attachment to Cuba, which dated back to a 1986 tour he had undertaken as part of the British Council-sponsored Siger Band, his family donated three trombones and a euphonium to the Music Fund for Cuba.

Discography

As leader

The Gentle Harm of the Bourgeoisie Old Moers Almanac Neuph: Compositions for Euphonium and Trombone Paul Rutherford/Paul Lovens To Fall a Victim to Ice-Cream's Charm Gheim Rogues Sequences 72 & 73 The First Full Turn with RoTToRTrombolenium Chicago 2002 Iskra³ Hoxha The Zone Solo in Berlin 1975 Tetralogy Raahe '99 The Conscience In Backward Times Are We in Diego?
With Iskra 1903Iskra 1903 reissued as Chapter One 1970-1972 Iskra Nckpa 1903 Frankfurt 1991 Buzz Soundtrack Chapter Two Goldsmiths
  • ''South on the Northern''

As sideman

With Lol CoxhillInstant Replay Before My Time The Holywell Concert Termite One Spectral Soprano Milwaukee 2002 Out to Launch
With Elton DeanWelcomet The Vortex Tapes Elton Dean's Newsense
With Paul DunmallThe Great Divide Bridging I Wish You Peace Shooters Hill
With Globe Unity OrchestraLive in Wuppertal Der Alte Mann Bricht...Sein Schweigen Bavarian Calypso & Good Bye Evidence Vol. 1 Into the Valley Vol. 2 Jahrmarkt & Local Fair Pearls Improvisations Hamburg '74 Compositions Rumbling Globe Unity 2002 Baden-Baden '75
With Barry GuyOde Zurich Concerts Harmos Double Trouble Portraits Three Pieces for Orchestra Double Trouble Two
With George Haslam1989 and All That Level Two Cuban Meltdown
With Tony Oxley4 Compositions for Sextet Ichnos Tony Oxley A Birthday Tribute: 75 years recorded in 1977 and 1993Unreleased 1974–2016 recorded in 1974, 1981, and 2016
With Spontaneous Music EnsembleChallenge Withdrawal Frameworks Trio & Triangle
With John Stevens4,4,4 Freebop The Life of Riley A Luta Continua Blue
With Mike WestbrookRelease Marching Song Mike Westbrook's Love Songs Metropolis Citadel & Room 315 Plays for the Record Love & Dream and Variations Goose Sauce
With others