Joe Martin

Joe Martin is an American jazz bassist and composer, born in Kansas City in 1970 and raised in Pella, Iowa. He becomes known on the New York City jazz scene for a warm sound, a responsive ear, harmonic flexibility and lyrical solos. He studies music from an early age, beginning on cello at seven and also playing trumpet in his school band before taking up electric bass at fifteen. He later also studies string bass.

Background and training

Martin grows up in a musical family. His father is a retired music history professor and a clarinetist with the Des Moines Symphony for 28 years, and his mother is a librarian and amateur violinist. His younger brother Phil is a drummer based in Chicago. He hears a wide range of music at home, including classical recordings as well as albums by Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Miles Davis and George Shearing. His grandfather is a jazz pianist who plays nightclub and dance engagements in Joplin, Missouri and teaches him many American standards during family visits.

He studies bass in Chicago and New Jersey, first at DePaul University on an academic scholarship, where he continues with Larry Gray and studies both classical and jazz. After two years he transfers to William Paterson College, where he studies with Todd Coolman, Rufus Reid and Harold Mabern. He earns a Bachelor of Music degree magna cum laude in 1994 and then moves to New York City.

Career

In New York, Martin works widely as a sideman and becomes an integral member of Kurt Rosenwinkel’s group, with performances documented on a live recording from the Village Vanguard. He also performs with Andy Bey, Vinicius Cantuaria, Bill Charlap, Art Farmer, Aaron Goldberg, Jon Gordon, Ari Hoenig, Joel Frahm, Ethan Iverson, Guillermo Klein, Ivan Lins, Lionel Loueke, Bill McHenry, John McNeil, Brad Mehldau, the Mingus Big Band, Ben Monder, Jane Monheit, Jean-Michel Pilc, Chris Potter, Maria Schneider, Jaleel Shaw, Grady Tate, Mark Turner and Michael Weiss, among others.

Martin regularly leads his own gigs in New York at The Jazz Gallery, Smoke and Smalls, and he also tours with his band in Italy.

Composition and recordings

Composition is a central part of Martin’s work. His writing is marked by a strong melodic approach and by using the bass both as a rhythmic foundation and as counterpoint. His debut album, Passage, features Mark Turner, Kevin Hays and Jorge Rossy and receives critical and musician acclaim.