By Woody Allen

“In my next life I want to live backwards. You start dead and get that out of the way. Then you wake up in an old peoples home feeling better every day. You get kicked out for being too healthy, and then you go and collect your pension and start work. You receive a gold watch and a party on your first day. You work for forty years until your young enough to enjoy your retirement. You party, drink alcohol, and are generally promiscuous, and then you are ready for high school. You then go to primary school, you become a kid, and you play. You have no responsibilities; you become a baby until you are born. And then you spend nine months floating in luxurious spa-like conditions with central heating and room service on tap, larger quarters every day and then Voila! You finish off as an orgasm.

I rest my case.”

“The mind creates the abyss and the heart crosses it…”

“The best things come from nothing” My neighbour Graham 

To hear some of what Oren and Maurizio have been up to,visit www.maurizioravalico.com

Oren Marshall is the embodiment of experimental tuba-playing. The London-based musician has a particular voice, one that gets articulated by ferocious blowing, shouting and coughing into his embouchure. He redefines the art of playing tuba and is seen as a great innovator in Jazz, see his nomination for the BBC award in that category. He has played with a great amount of musicians hors category, going from Derek Baily to important classical orchestras. Marshall has his own mystery to unfold.

Chorale from St John Passion - (03:11)
– J.S.Bach (arr. O.M) Recorded at the Dukes Hall, Royal Academy of Music, London,1997
Elgar Howarth conducts 26 tubas in this moving performance in memory of the late great tuba player John Fletcher.

Step by Step - (13:12) Oren Marshall
Recorded at Blackheath Concert Halls, London, 2007.This piece is designed to be played by players of any level and was played on the day by 70 tuba players; professionals, college students and school kids. The 3 improvising soloists are (in order) Sergio Carolino from Portugal ( www.myspace.com/sergiotubabondcarolino ), Roland Szentpali from Hungary and Oren Marshall from the UK. Owen Slade ( www.owenslade.co.uk )puts in some real sub-sonic bombs… Listen on big speakers with the volume turned right up!

Had a most amazing trip to New York, stayed with my Tuba soul-brother, Marcus Rojas who looked after me like family. Did some great gigs with Sxip Shirey www.sxipshirey.com playing harmonica and penny-whistles through pitch-shifters and delays and the awesome beatboxer, Adam Matta. We played at the Union Pool on my 2nd night. It was rammed to the hilt. When i played a solo there were people putting their bodies right up against the Orenophone as if to soak up the low vibrations. I was still quite spaced out after the flight so the whole thing felt pretty trippy to me.

We played 3 gigs at the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee where we met Philip Glass and Ned Rothenberg amongst others. I had the honour to meet the great Brazilian Capoeirista, Mestre Acordeon and took part in one of his workshops - totally inspiring. The trio, which was called Sxip Shirey´s Sonic New York also spent 4 days recording. I´ll let you know when a release looks imminent.

Went to a benefit gig at John Zorn´s club, Stone, on the lower east side and heard some great and not so great improvising. The place was packed yet totally hushed. After that, nipped over the road to the Prospect Inn. Lots of youth playing pool to loud rock music but walk through to a small room at the back and what do you find? That´s right! The hippest Salsa bar ever! A kicking band. Mostly old guys, swinging their asses off! Danced with a old puerto-rican lady who showed me moves she´d been doing since she was a young girl. Way more improvised and interactive than the stuff people learn in classes now.

Played a set at the International Underground with a fantastic dixie band that my old college buddy Conal Fowkes plays piano and bass in. With any tunes you didn´t know, the banjo player would call the changes just once through then you were off, such a brilliant way to learn!

By the way, for those of you into the tuba, check this out - I met and hung out with Bob Stewart (played with everybody from Dizzy Gillespie to Arthur Blythe), Brian Wolff (has an incredible solo act with electronics), Jay Rozen (Anthony Braxton), Ron Caswell (Slavic Soul Party), Alan Baer (New York Philharmonic) and his buddy Morris (Shrek, the Musical). Tried to hook up with José Davila (Henry Threadgill) but alas, our free times didn´t quite coincide.

July 2009

Time has passed and much has happened. Including an interview i did a while back for a friend who works at the Arts Council. It’s just been published -  http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway/stories/orenmarshall.php In it i mention one of the people i’d like to work with is Bobby Mcferrin. On june 17 i had the good fortune to do just that. In duo in front of a sold out Royal Festival Hall at London’s Meltdown Festival! We had a little play in the afternoon to soundcheck and he said on the gig he’d call me on after he sang some solos. That evening he sang for about 45 minutes, getting better and better and more sublime with each song. I was waiting in the wings getting colder and wondering what on earth i was going to do. Then he just stood up quickly and said, “Let’s get Oren on!” We improvised for about 10-15 minutes. It was great fun and Bobby was super-warm and complimentary. I received much positive feedback from so many people including Ornette Coleman. A great experience.

August 2009

Just got back from a hectic 3 weeks away. First in Italy, recording with Achille Succi who plays Alto sax and Bass-clarinet and Chris Culpo on piano. Mostly Achille’s composition with one tune by Chris. Very intricate parts and quite challenging to get together in the short time we had. From there i went to visit my friend Oscar from Chile who’s a gardener who plays tuba mostly in marching bands. He lives in a bit of a rough part of Milan. We played, got drunk, ate good food, got bitten all over by mosquitos. This, of course, meant we hardly slept which, for some strange reason, we seemed to find totally hilarious at the time. Didn’t feel too good the next day and in the searing heat carried all my gear(weighing a total of around 50kgs) on a 3 train journey to a part of Genova where i supposed to be meeting Dave Douglas and his band. We played an awesome gig on the sea-front and the whole band made me feel so welcome.

At that gig was Tuba enthusiast extrordinaire, Hans Schlipfinger and his wonderful wife, Renate. Hans had organised a tuba workshop in his home village of Altmunster. The next day we drove there. It took 9 hours and Hans buzzed his mouthpiece the whole way. When we arrived, the first thing he did was play one of his collection of fantastic tubas. Now that’s what i call committment! There were about 25 tuba students taking classes from myself, Jon Sass (Jazz player and total Funkmeister who lives in Vienna), Paul Halvax(Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) and Thomas Keller from the Berlin State Opera Orchestra(incredible tubist). While there i met and played with Cuban Trumpet virtuoso, Amik Guerra. What an amazing man. We had a real ball together. Also met the great Trombonist and Bass-Trumpet player, Andrea Conti from Italy and his beautiful family. What a story-teller!

From there got a lift to Graz with Martin, one of Paul’s students. Most of the way we listened a CD  of the fantastic Bohemian band he plays in. Marches, Polkas, Yodels. All new stuff for me…

Spent a week in Graz sweating through 2 Kidsamonium shows a day(was meltingly hot!) at La Strada Festival(www.lastrada.at)  Such a great band. Check it - www.kidsamonium.com The show really evolved throughout the week and prepared me for the stamina needed to do a solo set at The Big Chill the morning after getting back home (see gallery for pictures)

Nov 2009

Been a while (again) and it suddenly seems a strange thought to be communicating with an anonymous public via the back-end of a website. Yet that´s what millions of us are doing all round the world, minute by minute, literally at the click of our fingers. Mind-blowingly extraordinary yet mind-numbingly banal at the same time…

Of late i´ve mainly been teaching. On the Jazz course at the Royal Academy of Music and for the Brass department at Trinity College of Music. Keeps the wolf away from the door, as it were. I also get to work on the basics over and over which is actually what i need to be doing anyway.

Last week London Brass spent a day recording followed by an evening show. I´ve always found chamber music a fascinating challenge but that day was exhausting. Mentally and physically. Some of the results of that day will soon be posted on our new website to be, so keep your eyes peeled.

Also - The Charming Transport Band are recording an album dec 1-4. Finally it´s happening! Watch this space for a release date.

11 - Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal

May

1/2 - Workshops, Porto, Portugal

5 - Trio gig with Paul Dunmall (sax) and Steve Noble (drums) at Cafe Oto, London

29/30 - Workshops, Porto, Portugal

31 - Kidsamonium, Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal

June

1 - Kidsamonium, Casa da Musica, Porto, Portugal

17 - 2-6, Masterclass at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, UK

21-25 - Accompanying dance class, Greenwich Dance, 1030-1200

26 + 27 - Accompanying World Cup afternoon matches, Vortex Jazz Club, London

July

1-3 - Tuba coaching, Vic, Spain

4 - Nigel Burch and The Fleapit Orchestra (venue tbc)

5 - Boating improv club, London with Illi Adato, Percussion and Electronics

7 - London Brass, Espinho, Portugal

9 - London Brass, Alcobaça, Portugal

14 - Lucinda Belle Orchestra, Jazz Cafe, London

16 - London Brass, Holland

17/18 - London Brass, Germany

August

1-5 - Band of Eden, Scotland

8 - London Brass, Proms, Royal Albert Hall, London

12/13 - Big Air, Sardinia

28 - Solo, Groningen, Holland

September

11 - Nick Ramm´s Clown Revisited, King´s Place, London

12 - London Brass, Germany

17 - Music of the Mind, Science Museum, London

October

1 - Music of the Mind, Reading, UK

20 - Music of the Mind, Exeter, UK

29-31 - Charming Transport Band, “Love Music Festival” Tour to Scotland

November

1-14 - Charming Transport Band, Scotland

21 - Music of the Mind, Huddersfield, UK

25 - Music of the Mind, Southampton, UK

27 - Music of the Mind, Manchester, UK