Billy Martin

It’s clear that musical diversity runs through Billy Martin’s veins. This percussionist plays with such a unique style that it’s a shame he’s not more well known in the music world. Billy played in pop bands through high school while expanding his musical endeavors by studying percussion with Paul Price (who performed percussion compositions for John Cage) and taking off-campus classes on samba and Brazilian music. That influence is incredibly evident in his playing with his primary band Medeski, Martin, and Wood. He often incorporates ethnic percussion instruments and found objects into his drumset playing. Yet even more so, he mixes in breakbeats and DJ infused beats with his Afro-cuban and jazz style. The jazz influence, according to Billy Martin, specifically comes from Max Roach. He has claimed that his two biggest influences are Max Roach and Zigaboo Modeliste (drummer for the funk band The Meters). He also sometimes goes by the moniker Illy B. The most notable releases as Illy B include the Illy B Eats series of breakbeat records. Along with his percussion work, Billy Martin is a visual artist, dealing mainly with pastel drawings and paintings. His work has been displayed in several galleries and is also on the packaging of many MMW albums. Billy Martin recently established his own label called Amulet, which specializes in avant-garde percussion releases. Billy Martin truly creates his own fusion of sounds. From jazz to funk to breakbeat, his playing and his style are so electric. I personally played so much like him early on (which is far from being a bad thing) that I had to completely quit listening to MMW in order to avoid becoming a clone. Finding your own voice is a very difficult thing. Billy Martin certainly found his.

ARTISTS - Medeski, Martin, & Wood, MSMW, John Scofield, DJ Logic, John Zorn, Bob Moses

What's on your disc:

1. Little Walter Rides Again – MSMW
2. Miles Behind – MSMW
3. Tequila and Chocolate – MSMW
4. Beeah – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
5. United – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
6. I Wanna Ride You – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
7. Nocturnal Transmission – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
8. Smoke – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
9. Lifeblood – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
10. It’s a Jungle in Here – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
11. Sugar Craft – Medeski, Martin, & Wood
12. Hottentot – John Scofield

MMW Discography:

Notes From the Underground

It's a Jungle in Here

Friday Afternoon in the Universe
Shack-man

Farmer's Reserve

Combustication

Last Chance to Dance Trance (Perhaps)

Tonic

The Dropper

Uninvisible

End of the World Party (Just in Case)

Let's Go Everywhere

Radiolarians 1

Radiolarians 2

VIDEOS:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4gHeoeVEkA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kaorNzKVnE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWc99ZeG6w8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-5doar5hMs


LINKS:
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Billy_Martin.html

http://www.billymartin.net/

http://www.mmw.net/billy.jsp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Martin_(percussionist)

Jack DeJohnette

Jack DeJohnette was and is revolutionary. He’s legendary. He’s one of the greatest innovators on the drumset. A bass player friend of mine calls him the “groove master of the planet.”
He hooked up with Miles Davis in 1969 and changed the world of music. He was the rhythmic dictator behind one of the most controversial records of all time – Bitches Brew. That record birthed the genre known as fusion and changed the face of jazz, funk, and rock all at the same time. Jack D’s red meat grooves take each song from one level to the next, adding intensity and musicality that makes you question everything you thought you knew about how to back a soloist and carry a beat. He took that trademark with him to other big names that he recorded with in the years to come – Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Keith Jarrett, Pat Metheny, John Scofield…
Jack DeJohnette is well known as one of the high-priests of drumming. He’s never too loud. He’s never too busy. He’s never boring. He’s never repetitive.
His grooves are untouchable. They’re raw and they just sound and feel good. His solos are inspired and inspiring, and never repetitive. He never relies on licks or plays the same thing from one solo to the next. He has out of this world proficiency on his instrument, but unlike most drummers, he never makes his playing on technicality.
And while he can do alllll that, he can still color a ballad with all the sensitivity you would expect from a master.
And if that’s not enough, he can play a wide variety of percussion instruments and piano. While he can swing over a standard and play the pocket on a funk jam, he certainly can and certainly knows when to change his focus for the different musical styles from around the world.
At the risk of sounding cliché, Jack DeJohnette's grooves on Freddie Hubbard's "Straight Life" totally and absolutely changed my life. I was so blessed to get to recently experience his playing in a live setting. For my ramblings on that schooling: http://nosbig.livejournal.com/137934.html
Go buy “Straight Life” by Freddie Hubbard, “Bitches Brew” by Miles Davis, and “Saudades” by Trio Beyond and get educated. Get to know The Legend, Jack DeJohnette. There is nobody else like him. I could go on and on and on about this hero of mine, but I’ll let him testify with his playing.

ARTISTS - Miles Davis, Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret, Pat Metheny, John Scofield, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans, Jackie McLean

On the CD:
1. Red Clay – Freddie Hubbard
2. Seven Steps to Heaven – Trio Beyond
3. Saudades – Trio Beyond
4. Egad – Christian McBride
5. Cobilla – Jack DeJohnette
6. The Thief – Herbie Hancock
7. So Sue Me – John Scofield
8. Black Satin – Miles Davis
9. Spanish Key (live) – Miles Davis
10. John McLaughlin – Miles Davis

11. Picture 3 – Jack DeJohnette

For more grooves and solos that will send you to the chiropractor:
Straight Life – Freddie Hubbard
Saudades – Trio Beyond
Bitches Brew – Miles Davis
Live at the Fillmore East – Miles Davis
On the Corner – Miles Davis
A Tribute to Jack Johnson – Miles Davis
Live-Evil – Miles Davis
Big Fun – Miles Davis
Standards Live – Keith Jarrett Trio
Bye Bye Blackbird – Keith Jarrett Trio
Number Two Express – Christian McBride
The New Standard – Herbie Hancock
Demon’s Dream – Jackie McLean
Jacknife – Jackie McLean
Dream Weaver – Charles Lloyd
Pictures – Jack DeJohnette

VIDEOS:
http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/jackdejohnettemd97.html

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/jackdejohnettemusicalsolo1.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJWPs69ZJn4

http://www.drummerworld.com/Videos/Jackdejohnettekeith3.html


LINKS:
http://www.drummerworld.com/drummers/Jack_DeJohnette.html

http://www.moderndrummer.com/updatefull/200001203/Jack%20DeJohnette

http://www.jackdejohnette.com/

http://www.myspace.com/jackdejohnette

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_DeJohnette

me and my favorite drummer of all time