By Mike Brannon
Peter Martin wears a lot of hats these days. The 30-year old solo artist,
composer, leader, and New Orleans-based pianist for the Lincoln Center Jazz
Orchestra, has just released, "Something Unexpected," his debut CD for the
MaxJazz label.
Martin has worked with are Wynton Marsalis (in the Lincoln Center group),
Terence Blanchard, Roy Hargrove, Joshua Redman and Nicholas Payton. He is
currently on tour with Dianne Reeves' group.
"Something Unexpected" was recorded live at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis
with Reginald Veal (bass), Adonis Rose (drums), Brice Winston (tenor
saxophone) and Nicholas Payton (trumpet & flugelhorn). It includes both
Martin's originals, as well as easily unexpected takes on Stevie Wonder and
Jobim standards like Corcovado and I Wish. Though Martin sometimes echoes the
best of the Bluenote periods of Hancock and Tyner, he's developing a sound
that's his own--an event worth catching.
AAJ: Something Unexpected is an apt title. Sometimes people forget that's
what jazz is about...the element of surprise and a personal statement, but
with the control of intuition and some level of virtuosity. What part, and
how much a part, does intuition play in performing and writing for you?
PM: "The more skillful I feel I have become as an improviser, the more I try
and let my musical intuition control my performances and compositions. And,
since this recording captured a live performance, I was even more so in the
mode of reacting to the music happening around me in an intuitive way."
AAJ: The first thing I think people are going to notice about the disc is the
authentic 1950-60's Bluenote vibe, even in the artwork. You even cover some
vintage Dorham and McLean. Was the overall sound by design or what the band
listens to, or just the way y'all play live?
PM: "There was no overt direction on my part to capture a certain era of
music. I think that all of the musicians are certainly influenced by the
music you mention."
AAJ: Can you talk about what each player brings to the group and why you
chose them? (Do you remember a bass player in N.O. named Brandon Rivas?)
PM: Nicholas Payton brings incredible fire, virtuosity, soul and originality
to my music. Reginald Veal has an incredible sound, impeccable intonation,
and imaginative soloing skills. Adonis Rose is able to hear my original
compositions and create original grooves that perfectly complete the mood,
and Brice Winston is an incredible soloist and able to blend well with
Nicholas' sound."
AAJ: You sometimes sound a lot like McCoy. What are your influences?
PM: "I listened to McCoy a lot when I was growing up, as well as Herbie
Hancock, Oscar Peterson, Art Tatum, Bud Powell, and Bill Evans."
AAJ: You went to Florida State and Julliard. What were those experiences
like?
PM: "Julliard was nothing like it is now when I went there because there was
no jazz studies offered whatsoever. I was there strictly to study classical
music, although I mainly went there as an excuse to go to NY. At Florida
State I studied with a wonderful classical teacher named Leonidas Lipovetsky,
who also taught Marcus Roberts."
AAJ: You were musical from a very early age, playing piano at 3 and violin
even before that. You also have worked with many of the jazz world's elite.
How have those events shaped your playing and attitudes? What has each
experience taught you?
PM: "I was always around music, so it seemed normal to practice, learn things
off records, have rehearsal, etc. because both of my parents are musicians.
Playing with other musicians is where I have learned most of the knowledge
that I use to improvise today. I have been lucky to be able to be around some
great players, so I was able to absorb some very high quality music."
AAJ: Obviously a leader yourself, what have you learned from the leaders
you've worked for, like Wynton for instance, that has helped you lead?
PM: "Wynton is a brilliant leader in that he has a very well articulated
vision of how he wants his music and organization to be and is able to lead
many others around him in those goals. He is an incredibly hard-worker,
dedicated, and organized in these regards."
AAJ: How is it being a part of the Lincoln Center Jazz orchestra with Wynton?
PM: "It is a lot of fun, although I just resigned to play more consistently
with Dianne Reeves.
AAJ: Can you talk about some of your other side work like Redman's "Freedom
in the Groove?" How did that come about and what were those gigs and sessions
were like?
PM: "I had a great time working with Joshua for those three years. I met
Joshua when I was playing with Roy Hargrove and Josh did some special guest
appearances. He is an incredible player and that band was real strong. Brian
Blade, Chris Thomas, and I had been already playing together for several
years as a trio around New Orleans before that. Actually, Chris Thomas and I
grew up together in St. Louis."
AAJ: Beyond the Bluenote core, you also do some takes on classic Jobim: the
standards "Triste" and "Corcovado" usually associated with guitar and/or
voice. Why those tunes for this group?
PM: "Actually those tunes were not planned to be on the album, but I had been
thinking about them around the time of the gigs after playing them with
Dianne Reeves. So, I called them on the gig just to see what would happen and
really liked the way they came out."
AAJ: There's also the Stevie Wonder tune, "I Wish." The overall choice of
material reminds me of Herbie's "New Standard" where he covers various pop
vehicles, or the way Miles would incorporate pop tunes of the day. Are they
just tunes you like?
PM: "Definitely. We usually play a Stevie tune or something like that as set
break and I hadn't intended on it actually being on the album. But, as we
were mixing the sessions, it seemed like a fitting conclusion."
AAJ: This is your fourth solo project. How would you say this one differs
from the rest, aside from being a live recording?
PM: "This is the first recording I have made that really is able to showcase
my compositions well."
AAJ: What is your usual approach to recording?
PM: "This recording was easy after the first set, because I pretty much
forgot that we were recording and just treated it like a regular
performance."
AAJ: How do you go about writing new music?
PM: "I usually sit down at the piano and play various melodies that I have
been thinking of away from the piano, and then continue to compile them into
a composition through improvisation."
AAJ: How has living in New Orleans affected your sound?
PM: "There is such a strong jazz tradition here, that just being around the
other musicians has certainly helped to define my current sound."
AAJ: I noticed you're into the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. I did an interview
with Lyle Mays and he also cites Wright as an influence. Is it a structure
thing or a pianist thing?
PM: "That is a good question! I have never thought of that. I really do not
know. I just have always been drawn to his architecture. I've been able to
see quite a few of his buildings through my travels, which is great."
AAJ: That's great. I hope to check out Falling Water and Taliesen West at
some point. When you've taught, what do you emphasize students focus on?
PM: "Developing there own voice from early on, technical piano training, ear
training, and lots of listening."
AAJ: What other projects have you have been involved in would you like to
make people aware of?
PM: "We recently did another 4-Sight recording which is a cooperative group -
Greg Hutchinson, Rodney Whitaker, Ron Blake and myself."
AAJ: What upcoming projects, tours, and gigs are coming up for you?
PM: "The Dianne Reeves tour through the rest of the year and the New Orleans
Jazz and Heritage Festival with my own band."
For more information: http://www.maxjazz.com
Mike Brannon is guitarist/writer for the Synergy Group. The latest release is
"Barcodes" w/ Trey Gunn of King Crimson and Jeff Coffin of the Grammy-winning
Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Synergy's followup, "Later", w/ special
guests, Harvie Swartz, Paul Wertico and others will be released in late '02.
