Johnny Almond

Johnny Almond (20 July 1946 – 18 November 2009) was a British saxophonist, who is best known for his recordings with the Alan Price Set, Fleetwood Mac, John Mayall and Mark-Almond.

Biography Johnny Almond was born in Enfield, Middlesex, England. On Hollywood Blues he jammed with Curtis Amy, Hadley Caliman, Joe Harris, Charles Kynard, Ray Neapolitan, Joe Pass, Earl Palmer and Vi Redd.

In the same year he joined John Mayall (post-Bluesbreakers), with whom he toured and recorded The Turning Point (1969) and Empty Rooms (1969).

Notable musicians who have recorded or toured with Mark-Almond include drummer Dannie Richmond, drummer Billy Cobham, violinist Greg Bloch, keyboardist Tommy Eyre and bassist Roger Sutton. Eyre and Sutton later teamed in Riff Raff. A&M Records signed the duo in 1978 and released Other Peoples Rooms, but the record did not sell as well as earlier releases. Mark-Almond disbanded again in the mid 1980s, after releasing two albums, Tuesday in New York (1980) and a live offering The Last & Live (1981). In 1996, Mark-Almond reunited again for a CD release, Night Music, which featured keyboardist Mike Nock and others.

Almond lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. He occasionally surprised local bar owners, arriving with his saxophone to jam, some of which was recorded, including a rendition of "Stormy Monday".

He died on 18 November 2009 from cancer, aged 63 in Hayward, California, United States.

Discography Session musician John Mayall's Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton (1966) John Mayall's Blues Breakers: A Hard Road (1967) Chicken Shack: 40 Blue Fingers, Freshly Packed and Ready to Serve (1968) Fleetwood Mac: Mr. Wonderful (1968) Chicken Shack: O.K. Ken? (1969) John Mayall: Looking Back (1969) Martha Veléz: Fiends and Angels (1969) John Mayall: The Turning Point (1969) John Mayall: Empty Rooms (1970) Keef Hartley Band: Overdog (1971) John Mayall: Back to the Roots (John_Mayall_album) (1971)

Solo work Patent Pending (1969) Hollywood Blues (1970)

Band member John Mayall: The Turning Point (1969) John Mayall: Empty Rooms (1969)

Mark-Almond Mark-Almond (1971) Mark-Almond II (1972) Rising (1972) 73 (1973) To the Heart (1976) Other Peoples Rooms (1978) Tuesday in New York (1980) Last & Live (1981) Night Music (1996)