Alex Martin's Amérique Latine includes Alex: guitars; Lena Seikaly: vocals; Leonardo Lucini: bass; and Alejandro Lucini: drums; forthcoming CD: Nostalgia for Terra Incognita (with guest appearances by Tomas de Castro: percussion, and Marshall Keys: soprano sax)
Influences
John Stowell, Gene Bertoncini, Scott Sawyer, Sylvain Luc, Ralph Towner, Romero Lubambo, Djavan, Toninho Horta, Joao Gilberto, Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Baden Powell, Rosa Passos, Ella Fitzgerald, Cassandra Wilson, Jacques Brel, Georges Brassens, Jacques Higelin, John Abercrombie, Bill Frisell, Jim Hall, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Ben Monder, Manu Codja, Earl Klugh, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Wayne Shorter, Miles Davis, Tom Jobim, Dexter Gordon, Bill Evans, Herbie Hancock, Joanne Brackeen, Kenny Werner, Jacky Terrasson, Alan Stivell...
Sounds Like
I play jazz--original compositions, U.S., French, and Brazilian standards--that reflects my different backgrounds and passions, usually on a nylon-string guitar. Most of my gigs these days are solo or duos with different instruments, but I'm involved in more and more larger projects. Tone ("sounds like" bells, or a river?) and groove are the goal, as is exploring different harmonic and melodic colors. Thelonious Monk was my hero at a very early age: play your music--being faithful to it and patient is the only way to say something important. Eventually folks may even decide it's hip!
A native of Rennes, Brittany (France), who grew up largely in North Carolina, I have studied with former Thelonious Monk trumpeter Ray Copeland, nylon-string jazz legend Gene Bertoncini, and Scott Sawyer, who may not yet be a legend in your town, but good luck finding a more expressive electric jazz/blues/avant-garde player anywhere. I play in venues throughout the Washington, DC, area. I recently released a CD, Nostalgia for Terra Incognita, with my Brazilian jazz quartet, Amérique Latine. This recording features six of my compositions and five standards from the U.S., Brazilian, and French repertoires. Listen to free excerpts and purchase a copy of the disc and Amérique Latine T-shirts at www.alexmartinmusic.com. I'm available to provide music for weddings and other private functions and am accepting students for private guitar instruction.
