4 Parts Guitar is a quartet that has grown organically over the past few years. First there was the Double Vision duo with Gordon Giltrap & Raymond Birley. Gordon then had the idea of extending this duo format to a trio by inviting his old friend John Etheridge. Fortunately he accepted the invitation. To make things even more interesting and fun, the last person to be invited, and to complete the circle was Clive Carroll.

see live dates

For many years now, I have been heading up the M1 for an annual series of club dates in Yorkshire with my comrades in arm, Ben Crossland and Dave Tyas. These gigs fall nicely between the hit and miss of a pick up band and the structures of a fully rehearsed outfit. Ben and Dave are perfect for this - a strong, flexible and resourceful rhythm unit. Although we stay within more or less straight-ahead format, we have a broad range of colour and texture.
The album is the first I've done for some time playing extended tunes 'live' in the studio as you would hear on a typical gig. It's also a chance to put down some compositions of mine that were conceived as live vehicles and have not been previously recorded, as well as a new composition by Ben. It is also good to feature classic songs from outside the normal jazz repertoire. The results are an honest and successful representation of the work we have as a trio over the years. Let's keep rolling.
John Etheridge

"John Etheridge is a versatile guitarist whose wizardry enables him to produce a whole anthology of unexpected sounds from a wide range of guitars. Here’s a rattling piece that I find so exciting that I feel no need to apologise for calling its timbre ‘the apotheosis of the curtain wire".
Humphrey Lyttelton. Best Of Jazz. Radio 2.
November 2006.

This DVD features 12 very different guitarists, men who helped to shape the face of rock. Includes footage by Paul Kossof of Free, Andy Powell of Wishbone Ash, Robin Trower, Richie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Rory Gallagher, John Etheridge of Soft Machine, Jan Ackermann of Focus, Vernon Reed, Steve Hackett, Steve Howe, Mick Box of Uriah Heep and Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath.