Recent winner of the prestigious Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz Competition, Martinez sings and plays a wide variety of percussion instruments in the Cuban-Yoruban music style. His performance at Mount Holyoke marked his first show since winning the competition in September.
As a winner of the distinguished event, Martinez follows in the footsteps of many prominent young jazz musicians. Previous winners include saxophonist Joshua Redman, named Down Beat Artist of the Year in 1994, and pianist Marcus Roberts, who has served as Artistic Director for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.
While the competition honors excellence in jazz, Martinez blends the traditions of several different cultures in his music. Born in Havana, Cuba, Martinez grew up with the strong traditions of Latin rhythms and the Yoruba culture, brought to Cuba from Africa. In Cuba he performed with several bands and recorded a few albums. Two years ago, he came to the U.S. to continue his career.
Diversity stands out as a key element both in the music Martinez performs and in the makeup of his band. Band members hail from Israel, Italy and Cuba. Although the players come from different parts of the world, they all displayed a strong grounding in traditional Latin rhythms. As a whole, the band unleashed some infectious rhythms, which brought rousing applause from the audience.
Martinez began his performance accompanied by a drummer and another percussionist on wooden cajon drums. This intense, rhythmic opening set the tone for the rest of the performance, as the group for the most part sounded like one huge percussive unit.
The subsequent songs featured some impressive piano, bass and saxophone solos, yet the emphasis remained on the percussion. Martinez played bongo drums, three congas and the wooden cajon drums. He also sang in Yoruban on some of the tunes.
While Martinez performed many traditional Cuban songs, he also included some jazz standards and some compositions of his own. One of the highlights of the show was his rendering of "Green Dolphin Street," during which Martinez displayed his ability to infuse his own musical voice into a well-known standard.
Still, it seems that there is plenty of room to grow for this young musician. His energy and amazing technical prowess stand out as strong indicators that he will continue to search for new ways to express his musical ideas.