Gallagher pianist’s death mourned on Leeside
From The Cork News
http://thecorknews.ie/articles/gallaghe ... eside-7009Lou Martin, the pianist and organist who made a key contribution to the definitive phase of Rory Gallagher’s recorded career in the mid 1970s, passed away in England last Friday, aged 63.
Ger Kenneally, organiser of the annual Cork Rocks for Rory festival, said the death of Belfast-born Lou Martin was “very sad news” for fans of Rory Gallagher.
“Lou Martin was primarily a session musician, rather than a bandleader, but he was an absolutely amazing keyboard player, and for me, the line-up of Rory’s band that he was a member of in the 1970s was the best Rory Gallagher band ever,” Ger said.
Martin first joined Gallagher, bass player Gerry McAvoy and drummer Rod deAth for the 1973 albums Blueprint and Tattoo, and also played on Against the Grain (1975), Calling Card (1976) and Photo Finish (1978).
He also added a fiery edge to the band’s live sound, his probing, exploratory keyboards often prompting the guitarist to inspired improvisational flights on such classic tunes as Walk on Hot Coals, best heard on the Irish Tour ’74 live album.
“Lou Martin was as unique as Rory in his own right. If you wanted to hear him play anything the same way twice, you’d have to listen to the studio recording. When he and Rory were on the same stage, there was no knowing what direction any song would take,” Ger said.
Ger added: “I thought Rod deAth was an amazing drummer, and McEvoy a superb bassist too, and the four of them together were just incredible. My favourite performance of theirs is I’ll Take What I Want from a 1977 Rockpalast gig in Germany. It always blows me away.”
Martin was as much committed to improvisation as his bandleader, and when in mid-solo, hunched over the keyboards with his long hair covering his face, he would often require reminding that he was playing at a gig.
“Because he had that style, and went so far into the music, Rory would often have to wander over to him and tap his keyboard to bring him back to earth,” Ger said.
Martin left the band in 1978, but also collaborated on tracks on the guitarist’s final two albums, Defender (1987) and Fresh Evidence (1990).
Having endured a period of illness in recent years, including a battle with cancer and a number of strokes, Martin died peacefully in Bournemouth, Dorset.
john g
by Dwana Horner » 23 Aug 2012, 16:27 
