Jim Mullen
Encyclopedia
Jim Mullen is a Glasgow
-born jazz
guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery
before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum
.
's Oblivion Express, appearing on the band's first three albums together with future Average White Band drummer Robbie MacIntosh, Mullen then joined Kokomo
and later toured with the Average White Band.
It was while both musicians were touring the U.S. with AWB in the mid-70s that Mullen met up with tenor saxophone
player Dick Morrissey
, and throughout the 1980s, he found considerable critical, if not commercial, acclaim as joint leader of the pioneering British jazz funk band Morrissey - Mullen
. Record producer Richard Niles
, who produced the band's sixth album, It's About Time, would go on to produce three solo albums for Mullen.
Mullen has also played and recorded with, among others, Pete Brown & Piblokto!
, Mose Allison
, Hamish Stuart
, Joanna Eden
, Tam White
, Claire Martin
, Mike Carr, Jimmy Witherspoon
and Georgie Fame
.
He has won many British music awards including "Best Guitar" in the British Telecom Jazz Awards (1994, 1996 and 2000).
Most recently, Jim Mullen has recorded as part of The AllStars
a collective of session musicians on their Paul McCartney
-produced album All About the Music, alongside special guests Jocelyn Brown
, Hamish Stuart and Angelo Starr.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-born jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
guitarist with a distinctive style, like Wes Montgomery
Wes Montgomery
John Leslie "Wes" Montgomery was an American jazz guitarist. He is widely considered one of the major jazz guitarists, emerging after such seminal figures as Django Reinhardt and Charlie Christian and influencing countless others, including Pat Martino, George Benson, Russell Malone, Emily...
before him, picking with the thumb rather than a plectrum
Plectrum
A plectrum is a small flat tool used to pluck or strum a stringed instrument. For hand-held instruments such as guitars and mandolins, the plectrum is often called a pick, and is a separate tool held in the player's hand...
.
Biography
Having played with Brian AugerBrian Auger
Brian Auger is a jazz and rock keyboardist, who has specialized in playing the Hammond organ.A jazz pianist, bandleader, session musician and Hammond B3 player, Auger has played or toured with artists such as Rod Stewart, Tony Williams, Jimi Hendrix, Sonny Boy Williamson, Led Zeppelin, Eric Burdon...
's Oblivion Express, appearing on the band's first three albums together with future Average White Band drummer Robbie MacIntosh, Mullen then joined Kokomo
Kokomo (band)
-Career:Formed in May 1973 by ex-members of the pop group Arrival , Kokomo's ten-piece line-up became: Dyan Birch , Frank Collins , Paddy McHugh , Tony O'Malley , Alan Spenner , Neil Hubbard , Mel Collins , Jody Linscott , Terry Stannard and Jim Mullen...
and later toured with the Average White Band.
It was while both musicians were touring the U.S. with AWB in the mid-70s that Mullen met up with tenor saxophone
Tenor saxophone
The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
player Dick Morrissey
Dick Morrissey
Richard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
, and throughout the 1980s, he found considerable critical, if not commercial, acclaim as joint leader of the pioneering British jazz funk band Morrissey - Mullen
Morrissey - Mullen
Morrissey Mullen was a British jazz-funk/fusion group of the 1970s and 1980s.Considered one of the most popular jazz groups in London, the band was led by Dick Morrissey on tenor and soprano saxes and flute, and Jim Mullen on guitar, who joined forces in 1975, their playing together for sixteen ...
. Record producer Richard Niles
Richard Niles
Richard Niles is an American composer, arranger, producer, guitarist, broadcaster and journalist. He has lived in London since 1975. Because of his extensive work across many genres Sound on Sound magazine referred to him as "one of the most versatile men in modern music".-Early years:Niles was...
, who produced the band's sixth album, It's About Time, would go on to produce three solo albums for Mullen.
Mullen has also played and recorded with, among others, Pete Brown & Piblokto!
Pete Brown & Piblokto!
Pete Brown & Piblokto! were a British progressive rock band, active between 1969 and 1971, and formed by the former Cream lyricist Pete Brown, after he had been thrown out of his own band, Pete Brown and his Battered Ornaments, the day before they were due to support The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park...
, Mose Allison
Mose Allison
Mose John Allison, Jr. is an American jazz blues pianist and singer.-Biography:...
, Hamish Stuart
Hamish Stuart
Hamish Stuart is a guitarist, bassist, singer, composer and record producer.- Biography :Stuart had recorded a couple of singles with his first band, the Dream Police, before he was invited to join the recently formed Average White Band in June 1972.A member of AWB from 1972 to 1982, he went on to...
, Joanna Eden
Joanna Eden
Joanna Eden is a British jazz singer/songwriter and pianist.-Biography:Eden was born into a musical family, the daughter of an RAF bass player, John, and a drama teacher, Diana. She started learning the piano at six and performed her first composition, “Happy December”, aged seven. She obtained a...
, Tam White
Tam White
Tam White was a Scottish musician, stonemason and actor.-Biography:Born Thomas Bennett Sim White in Edinburgh, Scotland, White was primarily known as a blues vocalist with a trademark gravel-voiced voice. In the 1960s he recorded with beat groups The Boston Dexters and then The Buzz, who recorded...
, Claire Martin
Claire Martin (singer)
Claire Martin, OBE is an English jazz singer, born in Wimbledon, South London, England.Claire Martin grew up in a house "full of music", and claims to have learned all of Judy Garland´s songs by the time she was 12...
, Mike Carr, Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon
Jimmy Witherspoon was an American jump blues singer.-Early life and career:James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during...
and Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame
Georgie Fame is a British rhythm and blues and jazz singer and keyboard player. The one-time rock and roll tour musician, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still a popular performer, often working with contemporaries such as Van Morrison and Bill Wyman.-Early life:Fame took piano lessons from the...
.
He has won many British music awards including "Best Guitar" in the British Telecom Jazz Awards (1994, 1996 and 2000).
Most recently, Jim Mullen has recorded as part of The AllStars
The AllStars
The AllStars is a collective of session musicians based in London, England, who between them have worked with international music artists such as George Michael, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Massive Attack, Jennifer Lopez and Amy Winehouse....
a collective of session musicians on their Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
-produced album All About the Music, alongside special guests Jocelyn Brown
Jocelyn Brown
Jocelyn Lorette Brown is an American R&B and dance music singer...
, Hamish Stuart and Angelo Starr.
Discography
- The Atlantic Family Live in Montreaux (1977)
- Live' at Ronnie Scott's (1980) - with Mike Carr and Harold Smith
- Good Times and The Blues (1993) - with Dick MorrisseyDick MorrisseyRichard Edwin "Dick" Morrissey was a British jazz musician and composer. He played the tenor sax, soprano sax and flute.- Background :...
and Mike Carr - Soundbites (1993)
- Big BluesBig BluesBig Blues is an album featuring Jimmy Witherspoon supported by a band of British jazz musicians. It was originally released in 1981, and was subsequently rereleased in 1997, the year Witherspoon died. - Track listing :#"You Got Me Runnin'"...
(1997) - with Jimmy WitherspoonJimmy WitherspoonJimmy Witherspoon was an American jump blues singer.-Early life and career:James Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. He first attracted attention singing with Teddy Weatherford's band in Calcutta, India, which made regular radio broadcasts over the U. S. Armed Forces Radio Service during... - jimjamJimjamJimjam is a 2000 recording by UK jazz-funk guitarist Jim Mullen, featuring fellow-Scot Hamish Stuart on rhythm guitar, Pino Palladino on bass and Ian Thomas on drums....
(2000) - with Hamish StuartHamish StuartHamish Stuart is a guitarist, bassist, singer, composer and record producer.- Biography :Stuart had recorded a couple of singles with his first band, the Dream Police, before he was invited to join the recently formed Average White Band in June 1972.A member of AWB from 1972 to 1982, he went on to... - Burns (2000)
- ...but beautiful - Jim Mullen Helmut Nieberle Sextett, bobtale records (2001)
- Cartoon Capers (2001)
- We Go Back (2001)
- The Mose chronicles: live in London, vol. 2 (2002) - with Mose AllisonMose AllisonMose John Allison, Jr. is an American jazz blues pianist and singer.-Biography:...
, Blue Note - Live in Glasgow - (2003) - with Gary HusbandGary HusbandGary Husband is a British jazz and rock drummer, pianist and composer.- Short biography:Gary Husband is an English jazz and rock drummer, pianist and composer...
, Mick Hutton and Gareth Williams - He Never Mentioned Love - Claire MartinClaire Martin (singer)Claire Martin, OBE is an English jazz singer, born in Wimbledon, South London, England.Claire Martin grew up in a house "full of music", and claims to have learned all of Judy Garland´s songs by the time she was 12...
(2007) - All About the Music - The AllStarsThe AllStarsThe AllStars is a collective of session musicians based in London, England, who between them have worked with international music artists such as George Michael, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Massive Attack, Jennifer Lopez and Amy Winehouse....
(2007) - Smokescreen - The Jim Mullen Organ Trio featuring Stan SulzmannStan SulzmannStanley Ernest Sulzmann is an English jazz saxophonist.Sulzmann began on saxophone at age 13 and played in Bill Ashton's London Youth Jazz Orchestra, later the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music from 1969-1972...
(2007)