Jim Alfredson Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Here is a photo Of Lou Donaldson, Spider Martin and Lonnie Smith. Marcello, When was this picture taken and where? Very cool. Also, who's Spider Martin? I'm not familiar with him I don't think.... Thanks again for the shot! GReat!!!! No relation to Spider Webb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Spider Martin is a tenor player from upstate NY, iirc (Rochester?). He's one of those guys that plays around for years, sometimes w/some names, but never gets to do a record date w/any profile. Never actually heard him play, but those who have say that he's interesting, if a little "wild". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 Here is a photo Of Lou Donaldson, Spider Martin and Lonnie Smith. Who's Spider Martin....a damn BADASS! At least from this little video clip I found on the web....scroll halfway down the page and you'll see and icon for a video clip...check it out..Spider Martin Video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcello Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 This is where I found a page dedicates to Spider: Spider Martin Spider was from Niagara Falls, which is close to Buffalo, and lived in Rochester for about 10 years after his release from Attica prison. He was always getting in trouble for passing bad paper, drugs and burning his bridges; it was like he coulnd'nt help himself! He could hustle a gig better than anyone, though. When he got out of prison in the early 70's, he got a concert organizied with the Rochester Philharmonic showcaseing him, in a couple of months. Soon, he was playing everywhere. His bands had local players like a young Joe Locke on vibes and Steve Davis (on electric bass from John Coltrane's group before Jimmy Garrison and McCoy Tyner's brother-in-law) along with the occasional Eastman student like Tom Whaley ( on drums, who went on to play with Woody Herman and Red Rodney ) and Barry Kiener on piano along with older, local vetrans who also had some "big time" history. Spider's big name claim to fame was his work with Lionel Hampton in the 50's and 60's, and of course, because he was from the Buffalo area, Grover Washington ( who was much younger ) and Lonnie Smith. Spider wasn't that much of a player because he spent most of his times on scams and didn't put the time into his horn, but I loved him as a person. I spent a lot of time with him and his band after hours and he DID know everyone in the Jazz Scene in the country. He introduced me to Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Hayes, Jimmy Owens, Percy Heath, Max Roach and many others who passed through. Spider was a typical tenor/organ/soul jazz/ blues player who could play with a lot of heart in that genre, when he was inspired to. After about 10 years, he ran out of town because of trouble and dug himself in South Flordia, where he again went thouh a series of goog giugs and made himself the "Jazz Guy" in the Miami area. The last time I saw him play was at a concert he put together in Miami, in 1986, at the Gussman theatre there for MLK Day. He called in his friends to play like Dizzy, Joe Locke, Mongo and the Miami flute player, Nestor Torres. After a number of years, he was on the run one again and settled back in Niagara Falls, where he died in 2000. That photo with Lonnie and Lou looks like a later one when he came back from Miami. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted February 1, 2005 Report Share Posted February 1, 2005 I dig what he's doing on that video playing "Body and Soul" WITH Body and soul! He seems like a cat you don't run across much more in jazz these days...street guys with a story to tell. I would have like to have heard more (I wish there was audio with that picture w/lonnie and lou and spider!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcello Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Spider's motto was "When in doubt, take it out!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soul Stream Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 Spider's motto was "When in doubt, take it out!" beautiful. B-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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