John Surman

John Surman (born Aug. 30, 1944) is an English saxophonist, clarinetist, and keyboardist from Tavistock, Devon, who apprenticed with bandleaders Mike Westbrook, Peter Lemer, and Ronnie Scot during the late 1960s. In 1969, Surman released an eponymous post-bop album on Deram. During the ensuing two-year period, he played on albums by John McLaughlin, Rolf Kühn, Michael Gibbs, and Harry Beckett. Surman averaged two albums per year during the ’70s in solo and collaborative form, culminating with the 1979 release Cloud Line Blue that partnered him with Norwegian jazz vocalist Karin Krog.

Discography:

• John Surman (1969)
• Alors!!! (1970 • Michel Portal, John Surman, Barre Phillips, Stu Martin & Jean-Pierre Drouet)
• How Many Clouds Can You See? (1970)
• Open Space: The Down Beat Poll Winners in Europe (1970 • Karin Krog, John Surman, Albert Mangelsdorff, Francy Boland, Niels H.O. Pedersen & Daniel Humair)
• Our Kind of Sabi (1970 • Eddy Louiss – John Surman – Daniel Humair)
• Tales of the Algonquin (1971 • John Surman & John Warren)
• Where Fortune Smiles (1971 • John McLaughlin, John Surman, Karl Berger, Stu Martin & Dave Holland)
• Jazz in Britain ’68 – ’69 (1972 • John Surman, Alan Skidmore & Tony Oxley)
• Westering Home (1972)
• Sonatinas (1978 • John Surman & Stan Tracey)
• Cloud Line Blue (1979 • Karin Krog & John Surman)
• Upon Reflection (1979)
• The Amazing Adventures of Simon Simon (1981 • John Surman & Jack DeJohnette)
• Such Winters of Memory (1983)
• Withholding Pattern (1985)
• Private City (1988)
• Road to Saint Ives (1990)