Barrett Martin - Drums and Vibes;
Joe Doria - Piano and Keyboards;
Kevin Hudson - Bass;
Paul Fischer - Guitar;
Brett Joseph - Saxophone;
Dave Carter - Trumpet;
Thione Diop - Percussion
Barrett Martin is an American drummer, composer, artist, and writer who has performed around the world with various Rock and Jazz groups since the alternative music explosion of the 1990's. Some of these bands include Skin Yard, The Screaming Trees, Mad Season, Tuatara and REM. He was also a session musician in Los Angeles and has played on over 60 albums to date, including three solo albums and numerous film soundtracks. Over the years, Barrett has collaborated with several highly regarded musicians and poets including REM guitarist Peter Buck, Delta Blues legend CeDell Davis, Iraqi master musician Rahim Alhaj, Sufi poet Coleman Barks, and Native American poet Joy Harjo.
As a student of Anthropology, Music and Zen, Barrett has attained bachelors and masters degrees in ethnology, linguistics, and music, and he is ordained in the Zen Soto tradition. He has also traveled the world extensively, doing ethnomusicology projects in several different countries including work with Garifuna drummers in Belize, Wolof drummers in Senegal, Ewe drummers in Ghana, Santeria drummers in Cuba, Candomble drummers in Brazil, the singing Shipibo shamans of the Peruvian Amazon, and other recording projects in Australia, New Zealand, and Jerusalem. In 2002 he founded his own record label, Fast Horse Recordings. Over the course of his 20-year career, he has been interviewed by NPR's "All Things Considered", Rolling Stone, and many other magazines, newspapers, and websites. Barrett is currently writing his first book about his musical experiences around the globe.
Barrett's third and newest solo album, "Zenga" (August 2009, Fast Horse Recordings), is a collection of eleven original compositions recorded with a classic Jazz quintet. The album showcases Barrett's Zen-like compositional style, and features some of the top players from the Seattle and New Mexico Jazz scenes. As with previous solo albums, the rhythmic foundation is built upon Barrett's powerful and hypnotic drumming, where the American drum set merges with African, Cuban, and Brazilian drums. Melodic horn lines are delivered courtesy of Dave Carter's trumpet and Kanoa Kaluhiwa's tenor saxophone. Barrett's shimmering vibraphone lines underscore the elegant, impressionistic piano playing of John Rangel and Joe Doria, and upright bassist Luis Guerra appears again for his third album with Barrett. Chris Golden and Kevin Hudson contribute upright bass to four songs, and Grammy-nominated Iraqi master musician Rahim Alhaj provides enchanting Arabic oud on two tracks, giving those songs a "Jazz Arabesque" feel.
Barrett is currently putting the finishing touches on his fourth solo album "Skyline", to be released in early 2010. He will be playing select shows throughout 2009-2010.
Hey, Im posting new videos today! and if you are in Texas, come on out to Six Flags (san Antonio) Friday where I'll be performing with Drake Bell (of Nickelodeon's Josh and Drake) and Saturday with Drake in Six Flags Dallas. Sunday I will be at Jo's on Congress in Austin! Hope to see some of yall out this weekend! Ruby Jane
hey, Barrett. just wanted to say "what's up," and again thank you for so graciously taking the time to reply to my question several weeks ago regarding the always "fun" topic of stagefright. anyway, take care and keep rockin'.
PS - the new tunes sound great! that's a helluva band you've got there!! =)
..
Online Now!
