Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marlon Martinez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Marlon, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
The way I keep my creativity alive is by constantly engaging in the music I love the most: jazz. Jazz music is the freedom of expression through improvisation and collaboration. This music calls for fresh creativity all the time, and every time I play this music, I’m challenged to deliver on-the-spot ideas that are genuinely me in that moment. As a jazz player, I’m also contributing to the longevity of this historic music that’s still thriving.
I also spend a lot of time composing original compositions and orchestrations for my big band, Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. Composition maintains my creative flow, and I search for meaningful concepts and subjects to write music about. I’m currently writing music about a muse of mine, Audrey Hepburn, and the piece is called The Audrey Hepburn Suite. This is a multi-movement work dedicated to the beautiful Hollywood actress, style icon and humanitarian. Audrey demonstrated resilience despite intense hardship, and she maintained a positive outlook on life. I’ve been moved by her colorful life story and it inspired me to compose new music that celebrates her. Check out her movies like “Roman Holiday,” “Breakfast At Tiffany’s” and “Funny Face.”
Another icon that keeps me going is the jazz legend, pianist and composer Billy Strayhorn. Billy passed away in 1967 and left behind an abundance of music that always inspires me, and I record and perform his music with my big band to help carry on his legacy. Billy’s music has influenced a wealth of artists not only in the modern jazz world, but artists across BIPOC and LGBTQ+ spectrums. He was a game changer through the 1940s-1960s with his imaginative and complex musical ideas, and also as an advocate for equal rights, being black and openly gay during Jim Crow America and the Civil Rights movement. Billy Strayhorn is becoming more well known in our time, but throughout his career he composed behind the scenes, collaborating intimately with jazz titan Duke Ellington. In most cases Billy was in Duke Ellington’s shadow, and Duke would often take the bows, even writer’s credit at times, for his original work.
As a Billy Strayhorn devotee that goes on deep dives to find his music, it feels like a fresh experience when I discover something I haven’t heard before. It inspires me to learn what his compositional methods are and how that will inform my own writing style. Check out songs like “Lush Life,” “Take The ‘A’ Train” and “Something To Live For.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m a professional musician, composer, bandleader and educator based in the Los Angeles area. I started out as a jazz and classical music enthusiast from an early age, and I began playing the acoustic bass when I was age 11. My instrument has many other names, depending on the era and region: double bass, upright bass, bass violin, bass fiddle, stand-up bass, or just bass. I’ve been playing bass for 21 years now, and I studied at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, to get to where I am today as a professional bassist. I received my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Classical Performance at Colburn from 2009-2015. During my time at Colburn I truly developed my technique and skills on the bass, and used them not only for classical music, but for my deepest passion: jazz.
I took an unconventional path to becoming a professional jazz player and composer since I went to college as a classical musician. Most jazz players today study in jazz college programs, but I was advised by my mentors in jazz to continue my classical studies because that’s where I would receive the best training on my instrument, and basic concepts of music theory. My jazz mentors are heroes I grew up listening to and still aspire to be like: Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, John Clayton, George Duke, and Patrice Rushen. Each has left a lasting impact on my life and I try my best to follow their guidance.
Another unconventional aspect of my career is that I’ve toured with genre-blurring artists outside of strictly jazz or classical styles: Stewart Copeland and John Kimura Parker’s band Off The Score, Mike Garson, Quatuor Ebène and Wild Up. I’ve learned a lot about myself as an improviser and creator of new music in these special collaborations, mainly that I didn’t have to pursue a career in classical music alone, or jazz alone, but that my musical voice can be channeled through any form of music, and that keeps life interesting.
I formed Marlonius Jazz Orchestra, a 17-member big band, in 2016 and got more serious about it as the years went on. I rekindled my childhood passion for big band music, and studied big band orchestration and arranging. During the pandemic I decided that my big band would be dedicated to my original compositions, and revitalizing the music of Billy Strayhorn. I wanted my band to be that millennial band devoted to his legacy. We have performed all around the LA area, gaining attention, and some of the venues include the Blue Whale, the Grammy Museum, and most recently, we were the opening act for Stanley Clarke and Hiromi at BroadStage in Santa Monica in September 2023, an event I’m very grateful for!
In 2022 my big band performed a special tribute to Billy Strayhorn at the Colburn School, and I co-created a free educational video series with Colburn called Ever Up And Onward: A Tribute To Billy Strayhorn which is available online. My passion for Billy Strayhorn and telling his life story has led me to being a guest speaker at the Library Of Congress in D.C. during their 3-day Salute To Strayhorn in June 2023. I was humbled to participate in a symposium alongside Strayhorn experts Alyce Claerbaut, David Hajdu, Lisa Barg and Robert O’Meally. I’ve evolved from being a musician to being a lecturer that can talk about my passion on an academic level.
What I want potential followers/fans to know about my art is that jazz music is just as relevant today as it was in the past. It is created by new artists all the time, and it is my personal way of communicating deep feelings about this life and love.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Studying classical music is the best way to learn the acoustic bass. Classical music, the acoustic bass and bass technique evolved together. I’ve discovered that learning about these traditions helped me to produce the kind of sound I want to make, the kind of consistency of pitch and musical shapes I want, as well as the ability to read music well and apply strong techniques to any genre I’ve thrown myself into. My favorite jazz bass players developed their techniques through some form of classical training and experience.
Listening to jazz from a young age has given me the ear for the kind of musical “language” that is typical in any professional jazz setting. To this day, I listen to recordings, live shows, and I write out what I hear back on some of my favorite moments in a given song (this is called transcription) and play along.
Learning about Billy Strayhorn’s music has shaped my career path. His music opened up the door to performance and teaching opportunities that have been meaningful, unique, and inspiring. There was a time when I thought I would only be cultivating my own music, but I realized that Billy Strayhorn had been calling me, in a spiritual sense, to help take care of his legacy.
For people who are new to this journey and aspire to follow a similar path, I’d say it’s never too late to learn traditional techniques that nurture our skills. I think the best way to learn jazz or any other kind of music is to expose oneself to the music as much as possible. It takes time to learn to imitate what you hear by playing or transcribing, but the music provides a context and framework where our ideas will eventually come out, sounding like the music we love. If there’s a special interest of yours, definitely follow it because it may be part of your purpose and a distinguishing characteristic that sets you apart. You will be happier doing what you enjoy on a personal level!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, it’s usually a sign that I’m taking on too much work. Especially work that steers me away from my mental, emotional and physical needs. It’s important to focus on work, projects and conversations that nurture self-growth. There is a time and place for taking care of others, and a time where you are applying yourself to other people’s projects, too. But chances are, you have your own ideas you want to fulfill. It’s important to listen to yourself, because you might be overwhelmed by managing other’s needs without realizing it.
When it comes to financial needs, those opportunities will come at the appropriate time, when you learn to trust that you are already making connections and putting in good effort with what you do. I have to remind myself that all I can do is prepare the best I can for the day, talk to the people I need to talk to for the day, and just trust the finances will pan itself out.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marlonmartinezmusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marloniusmusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/marlonmartinezmusic
Image Credits
Toshi Sakurai, Samantha Godoy, Martin Chalifour, Orion Gordon
