Dick Morrissey

Richard Edwin Morrissey ( born May 9, 1940 in Horley ( Surrey ), England; † November 8, 2000 in Deal, Kent, England ) was a British jazz musician (saxophone, clarinet, flute).

Morrissey is a self-taught woodwinds. He began the age of 16 as clarinettist in the original Climax Jazz Band, before switching to tenor saxophone and played professionally in groups around Harry South and Peter King. From 1961 he led a quartet. In 1966 he accompanied Jimmy Witherspoon, Sonny Stitt, Jack McDuff and JJ Johnson at concerts in London. In 1969 he founded the jazz-rock group If that was successful both in Europe and the USA. He also worked for Herbie Mann and the Average White Band. The mid-1970s he moved to New York City, where he founded the existing to 1985 radio group Morrissey - Mullen together with guitarist Jim Mullen. He also worked for Dusty Springfield, Alan Price and Paul McCartney. He has collaborated on recordings or tours by Rolf Ericson, Alexis Korner ( The Party Album), Georgie Fame, Brian Auger, Pete York, Klaus Doldinger, Gary Numan, Phil Carmen, Shakatak, Peter Gabriel, Jon Anderson, Chris Beckers, Demis Roussos Jon & Vangelis and Vangelis with. He played the saxophone solo in the Vangelis composition " Love Theme " for the film Blade Runner. After his return to Europe, he played regularly with Charly Antolini, with Mike Carr, Bob Hall, Ian Stewart and Charlie Watts ( in the band Rocket 88 ) before forcing him a serious cancer to retreat.

Lexical entries

• Martin Kunzler, Jazz Encyclopedia, Vol 2 Reinbek 2002. ISBN 3-499-16513-9