Martin France: 29/02/64 – 05/09/24

The highly respected and much loved drummer Martin France has died, following a long illness. He was 60 years old. A player of tremendous versatility and imagination, France amassed a substantial discography and lengthy of list of credits as an accompanist between the mid-1980s and 2010s, performing with the likes of Sidsel Endresen, Mike Gibbs, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, Victor Bailey and John Surman to name but some.

Whether he was appearing in a musical setting that required energy and dynamism, or understatement and nuance, or a skilled combination of all these qualities, France proved more than able to give leaders what they wanted. Tellingly, he provided an anchor for a band without being conspicuous. He was one of the truly great team players of contemporary improvised music.

Born in Rainham, Kent in 1964, Martin France began performing at the age of 12, touring with singers and organ trios on the Working Men’s club circuit in the north of England, later studying with Geoff Riley, Kenny Clare and Richard Smith, principal percussionist of the Halle Orchestra. Soon after his relocation to London in the early 80s he recorded for iconic Munich label ECM and maintained an enduring connection to Germany and Europe by working with many renowned orchestras such as NDR big band, Danish Radio Big Band and ASKO Ensemble Amsterdam. In fact, orchestral music became an integral part of France’s career, and he also played with Liverpool Philharmonic, Britten Sinfonia and Royal Scottish National Orchestra. In parallel he also did extensive recording for a great many film and television productions, composing and arranging for the renowned incidental music label KPM.      

While France did fine work behind the scenes he also excelled in the inventive small group Human Chain where the chemistry he enjoyed with Django Bates, Michael Mondesir and Iain Ballamy produced fascinating original sounds in the 1990s and 2000s. Yet as much as France contributed to a wide range of bands he was also a highly accomplished leader in his own right, and the ensemble Spin Marvel was an important outlet for his creativity. Although a drummer with a great command of swing, groove and avant-garde vocabularies France was also a sound explorer who was interested in the possibilities of sequencing and programming, and his ability to blend electronic rhythms with his own improvising in real time was quite thrilling.

On a personal note, I remember Martin as a very warm, modest character with a great sense of humour. He was one of the most insightful and engaging guests on BBC Radio 3’s Jazz Line-Up, a show I presented in the 2010s. He leaves a fine body of work but in addition there is a wealth of joy he brought to fellow players and listeners.