Solid Air

John Martyn's 'Solid Air' merges folk, blues, and jazz through languid, spacious arrangements featuring bassist Danny Thompson and members of Fairport Convention. Martyn's distinctive, slurred vocal delivery and innovative guitar playing are central, notably his pioneering use of the Echoplex effect to create the hypnotic textures on his rendition of Skip James' "I'd Rather Be the Devil". The album's poignant songwriting, from the titular ode to friend Nick Drake to the enduring signature piece "May You Never," solidifies its reputation as a groundbreaking and defining work of the British folk scene.