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Drummers · 1938–2023

Tony Oxley

British drummer (1938–2023)

Born: 15 June 1938
Sheffield
Died: 26 December 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Active: 1960–2020
Record labels: Tzadik Records
Discography: 12 albums

Biography

Tony Oxley was a jazz musician who played drum kit. Tony Oxley was born on 15 June 1938 in Sheffield and died on 26 December 2023. The music is usually filed under jazz fusion, free jazz and avant-garde jazz. Record labels: Tzadik Records. The discography here lists 12 albums, from “4 Compositions for Sextet” (1970) to “Elaboration of Particulars” (2021).

Tony Oxley (15 June 1938 – 26 December 2023) was an English free improvising drummer and electronic musician. Born in Sheffield, Oxley moved to London in 1966 and became house drummer at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club where he accompanied visiting musicians such as Joe Henderson, Lee Konitz, Charlie Mariano, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, and Bill Evans until the early 1970s. Each year between 1969 and 1972 he topped the Melody Maker annual jazz readers poll for drummers. In 1970 Oxley helped found Incus Records, with Derek Bailey and others; the label would go on to release more than 50 albums. In 1993 he joined a quartet with Tomasz Stańko, Bobo Stenson and Anders Jormin, and regularly released albums under his own name throughout the 2000s. His last albums were Unreleased 1974–2016 (2022) and The New World (2023), both released on the Discus label.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

4 Compositions for Sextet 1970 · CBS Ichnos 1971 · RCA Victor Tony Oxley 1975 · Incus Records February Papers 1977 · Incus Records The Glider & The Grinder 1987 · Bead Records The Tony Oxley Quartet 1993 · Incus Records Floating Phantoms 2002 · a/l/l The Alan Davie Music Workshop 2003 · a/l/l

The Advocate 2007

A Birthday Tribute - 75 Years 2013

Beaming 2020 · Confront Elaboration of Particulars 2021 · Confront

Also plays on

Albums where Tony Oxley is credited as a sideman

1969	Extrapolation — John McLaughlin	drums (drum set)
1970	How Many Clouds Can You See? — John Surman	drums (drum set)
1971	Going to the Rainbow — Rolf Kühn, Chick Corea, Joachim Kühn	drums (drum set)
1971	Flight — Howard Riley	percussion, drums (drum set)
1972	Jazz in Britain ’68–’69 — John Surman • Alan Skidmore • Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
1980	Seven Steps to Evans — Gordon Beck · Ron Mathewson · Tony Oxley · Stan Sulzmann · Kenny Wheeler	drums (drum set), arranger
1984	String Band — Rava	membranophone, drums (drum set)
1989	Leaf Palm Hand — Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
1989	Seven Compositions (Trio) — Anthony Braxton	membranophone
1991	LOOKING (Berlin Version) CORONA — Cecil Taylor / Harald Kimmig / Muneer Abdul Fataah / William Parker / Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
1992	Adventure Playground — John Surman	drums (drum set)
1993	In the Evenings Out There — Paul Bley / Gary Peacock / Tony Oxley / John Surman	drums (drum set)
1994	Live at the Festival — Bill Evans, Bobby Hutcherson, Karin Krog & Archie Shepp	drums (drum set)
1994	Vade Mecum — Bill Dixon	percussion
1996	Vade Mecum II — Bill Dixon	percussion
1997	Leosia — Tomasz Stańko	drums (drum set)
1997	Soho Suites — Derek Bailey & Tony Oxley	percussion, violin
1998	Chaos — Paul Bley, Furio Di Castri & Tony Oxley	drums (drum set), percussion
1999	Papyrus, Volume I — Bill Dixon with Tony Oxley	percussion, drums (drum set)
2000	Papyrus, Volume II — Bill Dixon with Tony Oxley	performer, percussion, drums (drum set)
2002	Cecil Taylor / Bill Dixon / Tony Oxley — Cecil Taylor / Bill Dixon / Tony Oxley	drums (drum set), percussion
2010	Ailanthus / Altissima: Bilateral Dimensions of 2 Root Songs — Cecil Taylor & Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
2018	Conversations With Tony Oxley — Cecil Taylor with Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
2020	Birdland, Neuburg 2011 — Cecil Taylor and Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)
2020	....... Being Astral and All Registers – Power of Two...... — Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley	liner notes, producer, drums (drum set)
2025	Flashing Spirits — Cecil Taylor / Tony Oxley	drums (drum set)

Frequently asked questions

What instrument did Tony Oxley play?

Tony Oxley is known for playing drum kit.

When and where was Tony Oxley born?

Tony Oxley was born 15 June 1938 in Sheffield.

What are Tony Oxley's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include 4 Compositions for Sextet (1970), Ichnos (1971), Tony Oxley (1975), February Papers (1977) and The Glider & The Grinder (1987).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.