Guitar hero and legend of the Cornish folk scene, Wizz Jones left us on April 27th. Due recognition; Simon Jones.
It is with much sadness Spiral Earth notes the news of the death of Wizz Jones. He was one of the last true originals from the initial Folk boom which erupted in the late 1950s and carried on its popularity into the next decade, thereby laying the foundations for the UK scene.
Never one for the Brit traditional side of the revival instead Wizz – as a youngster he was a decent magician hence the nick name – concentrated on his own songs more than likely delivered with heavy leanings on American roots. A wanderer in musical influence, a restless urge saw him busking in Paris alongside the likes of Clive Palmer, Alex Campbell and even one Rod Stewart! More significantly he met Ralph McTell, establishing a life long friend ship, the call of the road taking him further into Europe and across North Africa. After two years of rambling, home once more, he fell in with banjo player Pete Stanley, the pair cut the ‘Sixteen Tons Of Bluegrass’ album in 1967. 1969 gave us the first Wizz Jones solo record cannily titled ‘Wizz Jones,’ that set him directly on his solo path which he’d continue for years.
The Cornish folk scene had always been his bed rock, first leaving home for a job in London he soon gravitated with chum Alan Tunbridge to the far west and ended up as part of a controversial ‘beatnik’ movement which caused a rumpus with the local council, it even got BBC hot under the collar and gave Wizz TV exposure. His residences and visits meant that he is inevitably linked with the acoustic music of Cornwall, even ending up the cover star of a book on the scene’s official history published in 2013.
A lifetime of gigging here, there and everywhere fuelled his recordings which eminated from diverse sources, his popularity on the continent led to forming the group Lazy Farmer, containing his wife Sandy which recorded in Conny Plank’s studio in Cologne and issued an album of what we’d now call Americana in 1975, reflecting his success in the country something he never lost. Working, often under the radar of mainstream listeners, he supported many including John Martyn on his tour with Paul Kossoff, “there were a lot of fireworks on that tour,” Wizz ironically recalled.
His own albums came out in a steady stream, often in the company of fellow 60s guitar masters, John Renbourn or Bert Jansch. Latterly he toured and recorded with his son Simeon, their finest release being ‘Late Nights & Long Days’ a title which hinted at their work ethic. His career came full circle in many ways when he released an album with old buddy Ralph McTell ‘About Time’ in 2016. He was fittingly granted a Lifetime Achievement at the Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2019. Though perhaps he’d say having Bruce Springsteen sing his song ‘When I Leave Berlin,’ in 2012 was pretty cool too. A troubador until almost the end, he played his final gig at the end of February, by then well into his eighties, tenacity, determination and music saw him through.
Revealing his father’s death on Facebook Simeon summed up the feelings of many “his loss has robbed the music world of one of its precious treasures.” No one could put it better.
