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Jim Martinez
Martinez, 49, is a Jazz pianist and endorsed by Steinway Pianos.
About Me
Pianist Jim Martinez, from Sacramento, California, began his musical career at the age of
four, receiving 18 years of classical training. He has amassed a list of musical
accomplishments encompassing nearly all styles of music.
Martinez, 49, is a Steinway Pianos Artist and has performed or recorded with Jazz
notables Lionel Hampton, the Stan Kenton
Alumni Band, Christian McBride, Russell Malone, Roy Hargrove, Cheryl Bentyne (of the
Manhattan Transfer), the Nelson Riddle
Orchestra, Benny Golson and Ed Thigpen, the first drummer for the famous Oscar
Peterson Trio. Jim has also performed with various Symphony orchestras and toured as a
featured guest with the U.S. Air Force Jazz Band (Travis AFB, CA).
Martinez opened for All-Star Night 13 straight years at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival
in Moscow, Idaho. Other highlights of venues and events include the Bix Biederbecke
Festival (Davenport, IA), the Harvest Jazz and Blues in New Brunswick, Canada, the
Crystal Cathedral in Southern California, St Peter’s Church in New York City, and The
Basement Jazz Club in Sydney, Australia. He worked as pianist and musical director for
Joan Rivers and Bob Newhart at Harrah's in Lake Tahoe, NV.
Martinez gained international exposure through his Echoes of Oscar Peterson, which
featured Martinez playing his own transcriptions of Peterson's performances. In
November 1998, Ed Thigpen traveled from Denmark to join Jim in a Tribute to Art Tatum
and Oscar Peterson. They also did a similar tribute together in 1991.
Jim has thirteen CD's to his credit as a leader. His soon-to-be-released project is titled,
Good Grief! It’s Still Jim Martinez, A Tribute to Vince Guaraldi, Charles Schulz & Peanuts.
Eight of the fifteen tracks were written by Martinez, in the style of Guaraldi. Additionally,
Schulz’ company has granted Jim permission to use Snoopy, Woodstock & Schroeder on
the CD.
Four of his other recordings are Jazz Praise, his arrangements of church hymns as
straight-ahead Jazz. His latest CD’s are Jazz Praise IV: He Keeps Me Swingin' and A
Classical and A Jazz Tribute to Edvard Grieg. These recordings are available through his
own music label, Invisible Touch Music and at JimMartinez.com, iTunes and other online
stores.
Martinez creatively combines hymns and Jazz standards: “Amazing Grace” ala Dave
Brubeck’s ”Take Five,” “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord” ala Dizzy Gillespie’s “Night in
Tunisia”, and “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus” ala Vince Guaraldi’s “Linus and Lucy”. His
projects were recorded at some of the finest recording studios in the country: Fantasy
Studios in Berkeley, CA, Avatar Studios in NYC and the famous Capitol Studios in
Hollywood.
Jim sold his company, Invisible Touch Music Software, which was founded in 1989. The
company arranged and recorded MIDI files for all digital and acoustic player-pianos. One
of the highlights was a three-year agreement giving exclusive international distribution
rights to Warner Brothers Publications.
Martinez, a former Minister of Music, is currently principle organist at Fair Oaks
Presbyterian Church in Fair Oaks, CA. Along with being a Steinway Pianos Performing
Artist, he is also a recording artist for PianoDisc Player Systems and QRS Music.
Jim lives in Rocklin, CA (near Sacramento) with his wife, Suzy, and two sons, James and
Ben. ***