Jazz musician Barry Martyn, born Barry Martyn Godfrey, February 23, 1941, in London, passed away July 17, 2023 in New Orleans. Martyn has produced albums, been a band leader, and performed on countless recordings with New Orleans musicians on the GHB label and many other record labels.


Barry Martyn photographed by Eliot Kamenitz

Martyn began playing drums in 1955, and was leading his first band the following year. His first recordings were made in 1959. Following his passion for revival jazz as played by veterans, he visited New Orleans in 1961 and studied under Cie Frazier. He also founded MONO Records at this time (an acronym for Music Of New Orleans). He toured Europe with many famed New Orleans jazz personnel, including George Lewis, Albert Nicholas, Louis Nelson, Captain John Handy, Barney Bigard, and Percy Humphrey. In 1972, after moving to Los Angeles, he founded a new jazz band called the Legends of Jazz — an ensemble which made several worldwide tours and recorded extensively. He relocated to New Orleans in 1984 and worked with George Buck reissuing Bill Russell’s original 1940-50s American Music label recordings and expanding the catalogue with many sessions acquired from other labels and private recordings. For Jazzology Press he produced many jazz books and videos chronicling the history and cultural importance of prominent jazz artists.

Review Barry Martyn's Jazzology catalog of recordings by clicking here