Jazz fans in South Devon are in for a special evening this month as guitar legend John Etheridge brings his Blue Spirits Trio to Torquay.
The acclaimed guitarist will perform at the Livermead Cliff Hotel on Wednesday 26 August at 8pm, in a show presented by South Devon-based independent music promoter Fougou Music.
Etheridge is one of the most respected and versatile guitarists on the British jazz scene. Described by Pat Metheny as “one of the best guitarists”, his extraordinary career has seen him move effortlessly between jazz, rock, fusion, gypsy jazz and contemporary music.
For this Torquay performance, Etheridge will be joined by Pete Whittaker on organ and George Double on drums, forming the Blue Spirits Trio.
A remarkable musical career
Etheridge’s career reads like a who’s who of jazz and contemporary music.
He has worked with some of the world’s most celebrated musicians, including Stéphane Grappelli, The Soft Machine, Nigel Kennedy, Andy Summers, Dizzy Gillespie, Yehudi Menuhin, John Williams, Barney Kessel, Bireli Lagrène and Pat Metheny.
His career took a major turn in the mid-1970s when he joined the pioneering jazz-rock group The Soft Machine. At the same time, he was invited to work with legendary jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, following a recommendation from guitarist and bandleader Diz Disley.
Etheridge went on to spend six years touring internationally with Grappelli, an experience he has described as one of the happiest periods of his musical life.
The collaboration also saw him perform alongside the great classical violinist Yehudi Menuhin, demonstrating the remarkable breadth of Etheridge’s musical abilities.
During his time with Grappelli, Etheridge also played an important role in helping launch the career of fellow British guitarist Martin Taylor, introducing him to Grappelli.
From Soft Machine to Nigel Kennedy and Andy Summers
Etheridge’s musical adventures continued throughout the 1980s and 1990s, when he worked with an extraordinary range of artists, including Gary Boyle, Vic Juris, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Elton Dean, Danny Thompson, Alan Skidmore and Stan Tracey.
He toured extensively with Nigel Kennedy from 1993 and featured on Kennedy’s 1996 album Kafka.
The following year he joined former Police guitarist Andy Summers for a world tour, with the pair subsequently releasing the duo album Invisible Threads.
Etheridge has also continued his association with The Soft Machine and has performed with a host of other projects, including Sweet Chorus, his celebration of the gypsy-jazz tradition, and The Zappatistas, an eight-piece ensemble performing the music of Frank Zappa.
A guitarist without boundaries
What makes Etheridge particularly distinctive is his refusal to be confined to one musical style.
Equally at home on acoustic and electric guitar, he combines exceptional technique with a willingness to explore and improvise. His work moves between traditional jazz, fusion, rock, gypsy jazz and contemporary music, while his own compositions remain an important part of his repertoire.
His talent was recognised early in his career. Jimi Hendrix reportedly told the young Etheridge, “You’re great,” while Eric Clapton offered his own memorable assessment after seeing him perform: “You’re not a great blues player but you’re a great guitarist.”
In 2006, Etheridge was also one of just three finalists for the prestigious Jazz Musician of the Year award at the Parliamentary Jazz Awards.
For music lovers in South Devon, his appearance in Torquay represents an opportunity to see a true British jazz great in a live setting, accompanied by two highly regarded musicians.
John Etheridge’s Blue Spirits Trio
-Wednesday 26 August 2026
-8pm
-Livermead Cliff Hotel, Torquay
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