Ray Warleigh

Ray Warleigh (Sept. 28, 1938 — Sept. 21, 2015) was an Australian-born alto saxophonist and flutist from Sydney who proliferated on the U.K. blues-rock/jazz-rock circuit for four decades, starting in the mid-Sixties. As a post-bop bandleader, he cut a 1969 self-titled album on Philips, followed by the 1978 Vinyl Records release Reverie.

Warleigh worked with Blues Incorporated, Soft Machine, Paz, and the Charlie Watts Orchestra across successive blues, jazz-rock, and post-bop settings. His session credits included albums by Nick Drake, John and Beverley Martyn, Roy Harper, Michael Gibbs, Phil Woods, Annette Peacock, Working Week, and Matt Bianco.

Background

Ray Warleigh was born Raymond Kenneth Warleigh on September 28, 1938, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ronald Warleigh and Millicent Willott raised four children, including Raymond and older son Len. Warleigh began flute at age ten through Burwood Police Boys Club and later took up clarinet. He attended Homebush Boys High School and entered an electrician apprenticeship after leaving school. Warleigh bought an alto saxophone after Len introduced him to a Dave Brubeck Quartet record featuring Paul Desmond. He played saxophone with Sydney dance bands while he completed the apprenticeship, then moved into local jazz clubs.

Warleigh reached London in 1960 after buying a one-way passage from Sydney. Dance and show bands employed him at resorts and holiday camps through his first British years. Touring groups later took him to American air bases in Britain and continental Europe.

Alexis Korner brought Warleigh into Blues Incorporated, where he worked with bassist Danny Thompson and saxophonists John Surman and Alan Skidmore. Blues Incorporated recorded a BBC Top Gear session on November 27, 1964, with Warleigh on alto saxophone. Warleigh played on 1966 albums by Champion Jack Dupree (From New Orleans to Chicago), Tubby Hayes (100% Proof), Alexis Korner (Sky High), and Georgie Fame with the Harry South Big Band (Sound Venture). John Mayall used Warleigh on reeds for selected tracks on the 1967 Bluesbreakers album A Hard Road.

Ronnie Scott placed Warleigh in a ten-piece band for the August 1967 Scott Walker engagement at the Fiesta Club in Stockton. Walker later hired Warleigh to assemble a concert touring band. He subsequently used his Philips production arrangement to develop instrumental albums for guitarist Terry Smith and Warleigh. Walker produced Warleigh in sessions on November 26 and December 13, 1968, for the 1969 Philips release Ray Warleigh’s First Album.

1969–77: Sessions and Group Work

Warleigh continued working with Alexis Korner in New Church through 1969. The group played its first German engagement at Recklinghausen on June 30 and appeared at the Rolling Stones free concert in Hyde Park on July 5, with Warleigh on alto saxophone. Korner recorded him at Olympic Studios on October 1 and included him on Both Sides, which combined studio material with German concert recordings. Warleigh also appeared on 1969 albums by Bert Jansch (Birthday Blues), the Sallyangie (Children of the Sun), and the Keef Hartley Band (The Battle of North West Six). Michael Gibbs placed Warleigh among the reed players on sessions from September through December for the eponymous Gibbs album.

Ray’s session opportunities expanded across folk, jazz, and singer-songwriter recordings at the start of the next decade. Warleigh appeared on 1970 albums by John and Beverley Martyn (The Road to Ruin), John Renbourn (The Lady and the Unicorn), Blossom Dearie (That’s Just the Way I Want to Be), and Andy Roberts (Home Grown). On his 1970 album Bryter Layter, Nick Drake used Warleigh on flute (“Sunday”) and alto sax (“At the Chime of a City Clock,” “Poor Boy”). Further 1971 albums included Mike Westbrook (Metropolis), Iain Matthews (If You Saw Thro’ My Eyes, Tigers Will Survive), Shelagh McDonald (Stargazer), Claire Hamill (One House Left Standing), and Andy Roberts (Nina and the Dream Tree).

Warleigh maintained a parallel place in British large-ensemble jazz. At Ronnie Scott’s in London, Mike Gibbs recorded him on alto saxophone, flute, and alto flute across May 31–June 3, 1972, for the live album Just Ahead. Marc Ellington also used Warleigh on the 1972 album Restoration. Gibbs retained him for the NDR Jazz Workshop in Hamburg on February 15, 1973, alongside singer Norma Winstone and a brass-and-reed ensemble. Roy Harper employed Warleigh on flute for “The Lord’s Prayer” on the 1973 album Lifemask, while Scaffold used his alto sax and flute on Fresh Liver.

Warleigh joined the Dick Crouch-led Paz in 1973 and began an eight-year Sunday residency with the group at the Kensington pub in Holland Park. The working lineup centered on vibraphonist Crouch, keyboardist Geoff Castle, guitarist Ed Speight or Phil Lee, bassist Ron Mathewson, drummer Dave Sheen, percussionist Chris Fletcher, and Warleigh on saxophones and flutes. Outside Paz, his 1974 credits included Keith Christmas (Brighter Day), the Scaffold (Sold Out), and Ashley Hutchings with John Kirkpatrick (The Compleat Dancing Master).

Across 1975, Warleigh recorded several jazz-rock sessions. Soft Machine used his alto flute and bass flute on “The Floating World” from Bundles. Michael Gibbs included his alto sax on The Only Chrome Waterfall Orchestra, while Ken Hensley used Warleigh on alto sax for Eager to Please. Roy Harper included his saxophone on HQ. John Stevens recorded Warleigh at Riverside Studios in November for Chemistry, with bassist Jeff Clyne, trumpeter Kenny Wheeler, and fellow alto saxophonist Trevor Watts.

Soft Machine brought Warleigh into the touring lineup for part of 1976 after saxophonist Alan Wakeman left the group. Warleigh played alto sax and flute at Hammersmith Palais on June 27 and remained for summer dates that included Trieste. Paz recorded material for their first album across separate sessions in 1976 and 1977; Warleigh joined the June 1977 date for “The Buddha,” “Time Stood Still,” and “Kandeen Love Song,” with flute, alto flute, piccolo, and alto saxophone among his instruments. On November 19, 1977, Warleigh entered Riverside Recordings in London with pianist John Taylor, bassist Ron Mathewson, and drummer Frank Gibson for the quartet session later released as Reverie.

1978–89: Session Work and Ensembles

Warleigh continued with Paz through the close of the 1970s, including an October 1978 Chichester Festival recording with vibraphonist Dick Crouch, keyboardist Geoff Castle, guitarist Phil Lee, bassist Ron Mathewson, drummer Dave Sheen, and percussionist Chris Fletcher. He also co-led a quartet with drummer Tommy Chase and recorded One Way at Konk Studios in Crouch End on June 27 and October 8, 1978, with pianist John Burch and bassist Danny Padmore; trumpeter Jon Eardley joined the June session. A March 1978 Phil Woods session at Olympic Studios placed Warleigh in a London ensemble with saxophonists Stan Sulzmann and Bob Efford for I Remember. Other 1978 album credits included Annette Peacock (X-Dreams) and the Chanter Sisters (Shoulder to Shoulder).

Ray’s session work across 1979 included albums by Long John Baldry (Baldry’s Out!), Delegation (Eau de Vie), Judie Tzuke (Welcome to the Cruise), and Jane Aire and the Belvederes. Further credits came from Paul Brett (Eclipse), Evelyn Thomas (Have a Little Faith in Me), and Georgie Fame (Right Now). Tzuke used Warleigh on soprano sax for “Katiera Island,” while Baldry used saxophone on “A Thrill’s a Thrill.”

Pianist Pat Smythe brought Warleigh into a BBC performance on May 25, 1980, with guitarist Allan Holdsworth, bassist Chris Laurence, and drummer John Marshall. Warleigh also joined the ad hoc Rollercoaster sessions for Wonderin’, recorded at Pye Studios with saxophonist Dick Morrissey, trombonist Chris Pyne, trumpeter Derek Watkins, keyboardists Karl Jenkins, Mike Ratledge, and Mike Pyne, guitarist Alan Parker, bassist Ron Mathewson, and drummer Barry Morgan. Jenkins and Marshall then brought Warleigh into June–July 1980 sessions at Pye and Riverside Studios for Soft Machine album Land of Cockayne, where Warleigh played alto saxophone and bass flute.

Paz recorded Paz Are Back in London in summer 1980 with Warleigh on alto and soprano saxophones, flute, and panpipes. The lineup paired Crouch and Warleigh with keyboardist Castle, guitarist Ed Speight, bassist Mathewson, drummer Frank Gibson, percussionists Chris Fletcher and Simon Morton, and timbalist Martin Drew. Paz Are Back appeared in 1982 on Spotlite. Warleigh also appeared on 1981 projects by Delegation (Delegation II) and the Shock Treatment soundtrack, followed by Roy Harper (Work of Heart) and the original 1982 London cast recording of Song and Dance.

Warleigh returned to Paz for August 1983 sessions at Eastcote Productions Studios with Crouch, Castle, guitarist Jim Mullen, bassist Henry Thomas, drummer Dave Early, and percussionist João Bosco de Oliveira. In December 1983, Paladin Records issued the resulting Look Inside. The RAH Band also used Warleigh on saxophone for the 1983 album Going Up.

Karl Jenkins and John Marshall revived Soft Machine for six nights at Ronnie Scott’s from July 30 through August 4, 1984. Warleigh joined guitarist John Etheridge, pianist Dave MacRae, and bassist Paul Carmichael in the sextet. Matt Bianco used Warleigh on flute for “Big Rosie” from Whose Side Are You On?, while Elaine Paige used his saxophone on the 1984 album Cinema.

Session work in 1985 included Working Week (Working Nights), Kiri Te Kanawa with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra (Blue Skies), Maria Muldaur (Live in London), and Riccardo Cocciante (Il mare dei papaveri). Warleigh played baritone saxophone on “Inner City Blues” and “Who’s Fooling Who” for Working Week. Te Kanawa recorded Blue Skies at CTS Studios in Wembley in April 1985 with Warleigh on flute alongside alto saxophonist Peter King, guitarist Judd Proctor, and pianist Ronnie Price.

Charlie Watts included Warleigh among the alto saxophonists for a large jazz orchestra on December 9, 1985, at Fulham Town Hall. Alan Cohen arranged and conducted a reed section that included Warleigh, Peter King, Willie Garnett, Don Weller, Evan Parker, Alan Skidmore, Bobby Wellins, Danny Moss, Courtney Pine, and Gail Thompson. CBS and Columbia released selections from the concert in 1986 as Live at Fulham Town Hall. Trevor Jones also used Warleigh on saxophone for the 1986 Labyrinth soundtrack.

New Zealand singer Beaver Storm recorded Live at Ronnie Scott’s in November 1987 with keyboardist Geoff Castle, bassist Andy Brown, drummer Brian Spring, and Warleigh on alto and soprano saxophones. Mike Figgis also included Warleigh among the musicians on the 1988 Stormy Monday soundtrack. Matt Bianco returned to Warleigh for flute on the 1988 album Indigo. Mo Foster began sessions for Southern Reunion in June–July 1988 with Warleigh on flute, alto flute, and piccolo alongside guitarist Ray Russell, drummer Gary Husband, vibraphonist Frank Ricotti, keyboardist Geoff Castle, and soprano saxophonists Iain Ballamy and Stan Sulzmann.

Discography:

• Ray Warleigh’s First Album (1969)
• Reverie (1978 • Ray Warleigh, John Taylor, Ron Mathewson & Frank Gibson)