John Martyn
Heaven and Earth (Hole in the Rain Music)
By David Luhrssen


Although John Martyn never attracted a wide following for his songs, he caught the ears of many musicians in his native Britain as well as Jamaica. Eric Clapton, David Gilmour and Lee “Scratch” Perry were among his collaborators. Recorded at the time of his death in 2009, Martyn's final sessions were put in order and released as Heaven and Earth. Featuring Martyn's gravelly vocals and a funky, unhurried sound with echoes of blues, jazz and R&B, Heaven and Earth wouldn't sound out of place in New Orleans. Many of his friends contributed to the effort, including Garth Hudson on accordion and backing vocals from Phil Collins.