John Martyn – The Tumbler VG+/VG

John Martyn’s sophomore effort, The Tumbler, marked a distinct evolution from his solo acoustic debut. Released in 1968, the album saw him branch out beyond the confines of folk, incorporating elements of blues and jazz. This experimentation was fueled by Martyn’s immersion in the London music scene, where he encountered artists like Bert Jansch and Davey Graham.

The Tumbler shimmers with a vibrancy absent from his first record. A key contributor to this shift was jazz flautist Harold McNair, whose presence imbued the music with a new layer of sophistication. While the songwriting may not have shown a drastic leap, it was Martyn’s idiosyncratic vocals and increasingly adventurous arrangements that set The Tumbler apart. This album stands as a testament to Martyn’s restlessness as an artist, his constant push to expand his musical horizons.