Jade Warrior

Immediately recognizable by their Orient-inspired album covers, Jade Warrior formed around the duo of guitarist Tony Duhig and percussionist Jon Field. During the mid-to-late 60s, the two drifted through a series of bands, eventually forming July with Tom Newman. Adopting the name Jade Warrior, the pair then recruited Glyn Havard on vocals and bass and secured a contract with Vertigo, reportedly because they shared the same management as Afro-rock band Assagai (also courted by Vertigo). Though the Jethro Tull comparisons are inevitable, their music occupies a much different space. Foremost, Field is a percussionist; and suitably, their songs are not anchored by drumming, which allows for a more expansive sound. Havard is a good vocalist and his bass adds substance; but the rest of the magic is dynamics, ranging from the mildness of Field’s flute to the heavy of Duhig’s overdriven guitar. Their compositions range from the bluesy “A Prenormal Day at Brighton” at one end of the spectrum, to the African-influenced “Masai Morning” at the other end. But the gentleness of “Windweaver” and “Dragonfly Day” is the Warrior’s strong suit. The second side opts for more bluesy numbers, while the acoustic “Sundial Song” bestows a glimpse into their future. The following year, the band delivered two albums: Released, its highlight being the lengthy jam “Barazinbar” with drummer Allan Price and saxophonist Dave Conners; and Last Autumn’s Dream, which offered the closest the band would come to mainstream songs. The band then toured the US in support of Dave Mason, adding Duhig’s brother David on guitar. Two subsequent albums were recorded in 1973, but without a label, neither would see release for decades.