Take Five with Singer, Guitarist and Pianist Martina Fiserova

Meet Martina Fiserova

Martina Fišerová is a New York-based singer, guitarist, songwriter and lyricist. Born and raised in Bohemia, Czech Republic, she graduated as a vocalist from the jazz-focused Jaroslav Ježek College, in addition to studying anthroposophical music therapy. She has performed alongside a number of prominent artists at music festivals and venues throughout Europe, as well as in Taiwan and Vietnam.

Martina's debut release Clearing Fields (Blue Season, 2012), with her interpretation of jazz standards, originated from a spontaneous recording session in her native Prague with the brilliant New York pianist and organist Brian Charette. The process inspired her to relocate to the US and to explore New York's storied music scene. Her following release Shift (Blue Season, 2015), born from sessions both in Europe and in the USA, marked the debut of her original songwriting and creative production.

Martina has since had the honor of performing at several well-known venues and festivals, including Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, New York's Blue Note Jazz Festival and the Prague Proms Festival, among others.

Instruments:

I sing, and also play guitar and piano.

The type of guitar that I play depends on the location of the show or session—I don't risk travelling with delicate instruments by plane any longer! In Prague, I have an exceptional old Ovation and a Fender Telecaster. In New York presently, I play a Taylor 214ce and an acoustic Ibanez which a friend gifted me to ease the flow of my sets, since I change the tunings a lot. I love my friends!

Teachers and/or influences?

In the beginning, there was the influence of my parents and my brother. My dad was a major force on the fusion scene in (what was then) Czechoslovakia in the '70s. He was also an accompanist for our "first lady of French Chanson" Hana Hegerova—and I often witnessed her performances in major theaters while hiding behind the curtains directly on the stage.

My brother, on the other hand, is a complete George Benson devotee, performing in a popular funk band.

When I was very little, I used to watch my mom perform. She sang repertoire that very few people in our country had heard before (like Tania Maria or Flora Purim). She was also the first singer in my country to perform bossa-nova music—and when she couldn't find transcriptions of the lyrics, she wrote her own.

My parents never wanted me to be a musician, and I didn't have much encouragement in that regard until I started singing in my father's band in my mid-20s. Around that time, the trumpet player Laco Deczi also began to bring me on tours with him, and that's how I met a lot of US musicians. Laco escaped the communist regime shortly after I was born, settled in the US, and started coming back after our Velvet Revolution. He would always bring an incredible band with him, and everyone was crashing in our living room. On the floor, or the couch... anywhere people could sleep, they would. I thrived in this environment, and I am sure it sparked my curiosity about New York's music scene.

Initially, I studied classical piano rather than voice. But when I was 19, I started working with the renowned vocal coach Hana Peckova, who is known for an approach that unites vocal mechanics across all genres. In New York, I first tried a couple of different popular methods. Eventually I landed with James Carson and started studying the "Voice of the Mind" technique. I am not a naturally born singer; I have to work at it! And I religiously practice my exercises daily.. I get very grumpy if I don't!

How did I learn to play the guitar? I am not sure, but somehow I just picked it up! It was always around the house, hypnotizing me. My dad showed me two basic songs when I was starting, and a few jazz standards a couple of years later. It wasn't until I came to New York that I realized I needed the ability to perform solo. That's when I started focusing more on songwriting, and developing repertoire based on my original music. It felt more honest.

In recent years, I've had the privilege of learning about "The Art of Music" from Brandon Ross. Ross is a New York City-based guitarist and composer. His work with innovators in modern Black American music—Henry Threadgill, Cassandra Wilson, Lawrence D. "Butch" Morris, Wadada Leo Smith and the band, Harriet Tubman, is legendary. He has been a huge influence and inspiration for me, and I am very grateful for it.

Your sound and approach to music.

I come from a former communist country, where people were not allowed to express themselves freely for decades—and this definitely impacted me. The inclination to encode messages in a sophisticated way (and my love for complexity and nuance) drive my writing style. My love of nature and how I relate to it is another strong element that inspires the music that I write.

I love to design my own tunings, and to experiment for as long as needed until I land on something that excites me. Then I sit with it, work with it, and hone it, until I feel it's ready to be performed.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

I think that the people who like my music connect with the authenticity, coming from the inside out. I think it's important to be personal, and to be honest in my soul searching. I've developed my own thing after years of learning and gaining various numerous experiences. Walking the whole journey, with no shortcuts.

Did you know...

I had a small accident in 2019, and it completely damaged the joint capsule of my left pinky finger. I was unable to use it, the injury was untreatable. Playing guitar became extremely challenging, and sometimes nearly impossible. Then during the pandemic, I was introduced to a healer who was able to assist with restoring my finger back to health. It's a true miracle that I can play again.

Music you are listening to now:

For Living Lovers: Revealing Essence (Sunnyside Records, 2014)
Lawrence Fields: To The Surface (Rhythm 'N' Flow Records, 2024)
Shabaka Hutchings: Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace (Impulse! Records, 2024)
Keith Jarrett: A Multitude Of Angels (ECM, 2016)
Ali Akbar Khan: Swara Samrat (Ammp Records, 2003)

Desert Island picks:

Cassandra Wilson: Blue Light 'til Dawn (Blue Note Records, 1993)
Joni Mitchell: Travelogue (Nonesuch Records, 2002)
Brandon Ross: Puppet (Intoxicate Records, 2006)
Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny: Beyond The Missouri Sky (Short Stories) (Verve Records, 1997)

What is in the near future?

I am currently in the process of co-producing and recording my forthcoming EP, in collaboration with Brandon Ross.

I am also preparing for an upcoming performance at The Bitter End, which will take place on May 4, 2025 at 6.30pm.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

"Turiya & Ramakrishna" by Alice Coltrane

What were some of the life-changing shows you have attended in New York?

In no particular order:

Bahauddin Dagar at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music
David Virelles Nosotros Ensemble at Carnegie hall premiering "Oro"
Lawrence "Butch" Morris -public rehearsal at the original Stone on Avenue C in Manhattan
Savion Glover with Roy Haynes at the Blue Note
About every show of Lisa Fischer with Grand Baton

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