Martin Fierro (saxophonist)

Martin Fierro (January 18, 1942 – March 13, 2008) was a saxophonist who played with the Sir Douglas Quintet, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Jerry Garcia. He is the father of actor David Fierro.

Martin Fierro
Fierro in August 2005
Photo: David Gans
Background information
Born(1942-01-18)18 January 1942
Mexico
DiedMarch 13, 2008(2008-03-13) (aged 66)
Marin County, California, U.S.
GenresRock, jam band, jazz rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, record producer
InstrumentsSaxophone, flute
Years active1960–2005
Associated actsMother Earth, Sir Douglas Quintet, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Legion of Mary, Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders, Grateful Dead, Zero

Music career

Fierro was born in Mexico in 1942 and grew up in El Paso, Texas. He pronounced his name Mar-TEEN. He taught himself how to play saxophone and as a teenager participated in rock bands. He concentrated on jazz in his early 20s. He toured Mexico with a band, then moved to San Francisco and joined Mother Earth, a blues rock group led by Tracy Nelson. He became a member of the rock band the Sir Douglas Quintet in 1968. He also played with Quicksilver Messenger Service and James Cotton.[1]

In 1971, Fierro played saxophone and flute on Hooteroll?, an instrumental, free-form album by guitarist Jerry Garcia and keyboard player Howard Wales.[2] Three years later he joined another project by Garcia known as Legion of Mary. Like Garcia's Grateful Dead, Legion of Mary combined rock and blues with long improvisation.[3] He appeared on the Dead's album Wake of the Flood in 1973 and toured with them that year.[4]

In 1986, Fierro joined the Bay Area Jam Band Zero alongside founding members Steve Kimock, Bobby Vega, John Cipollina, and Greg Anton. The band is generally regarded as one of the foundational examples that pioneered the jam band style of playing. His tenure with the band would garner praise and even more affirmation of his improvisational prowess. In later years he played with the jam bands the String Cheese Incident and the Dark Star Orchestra. He also played local San Francisco Bay Area gigs with his Martin Fierro Jazz Quartet.

He was diagnosed with cancer and died in 2008.[1]

Discography

With James Cotton

  • 1968 Cut You Loose!

With Mother Earth

  • 1968 Living with the Animals
  • 1968 Revolution

With Sir Douglas Quintet

  • 1969 Mendocino
  • 1970 1+1+1=4
  • 1973 Texas Tornado

With Quicksilver Messenger Service

With Jerry Garcia

With Merl Saunders

  • 1997 Keepers

With Zero

  • 1987 Nothin' Goes Here
  • 1991 Live: Go Hear Nothin'
  • 1994 Chance in a Million
  • 1997 Zero Zero
  • 1998 Nothin' Lasts Forever
  • 2002 Double Zero Zero

With the String Cheese Incident

References
  1. Ankeny, Jason. "Martin Fierro | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  2. Planer, Lindsay. "Hooteroll? - Jerry Garcia, Howard Wales | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Legion of Mary | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  4. Liberatore, Paul (15 March 2008). "Beloved saxophonist Martin Fierro dies at 66". marinji.com. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  5. "Martin Fierro | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
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