Billy Martin (born October 30, 1963) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

drummer, best known as a member of jazz-funk trio Medeski Martin & Wood.

Biography

Before becoming part of Medeski, Martin & Wood, Martin was part of the New York City Brazilian scene in the 1980s. He performed regularly with Pe De Boi, Batucada and several Bob Moses bands for over a decade. He also joined

Chuck Mangione Charles Frank Mangione ( ; born November 29, 1940) is an American flugelhorn player, trumpeter and composer. He came to prominence as a member of Art Blakey's band in the 1960s, and later co-led the Jazz Brothers with his brother, Gap Mangione, ...

's touring group for three years. Most notably he has developed as a percussionist for

The Lounge Lizards The Lounge Lizards were an eclectic No Wave musical group founded by saxophonist John Lurie and his brother, pianist Evan Lurie, in 1978. Initially known for their ironic, tongue-in-cheek take on jazz, The Lounge Lizards eventually became a show ...

and with the

John Lurie John Lurie (born December 14, 1952) is an American musician, painter, actor, director, and producer. He co-founded the Lounge Lizards jazz ensemble; has acted in 19 films, including ''Stranger than Paradise'' and '' Down by Law''; has composed ...

National Orchestra, and has collaborated with artists such as

John Zorn John Zorn (born September 2, 1953) is an American composer, conducting, conductor, saxophonist, arrangement, arranger and record producer, producer who "deliberately resists category". His Avant-garde music, avant-garde and experimental music, ex ...

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and

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. He has also started his own record label, Amulet Records, specializing in eclectic percussion albums. Martin has also collaborated with

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, DJ Olive,

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, Calvin Weston, Marty Ehrlich, and Min Xiao-Fen. Martin also sometimes goes by the moniker ''Illy B''. The most notable releases as Illy B include the ''Illy B Eats'' series of

breakbeat Breakbeat is a broad type of electronic music that uses drum breaks, often sampled from early recordings of funk, jazz, and R&B. Breakbeats have been used in styles such as Florida breaks, hip-hop, jungle, drum and bass, big beat, breakbeat ...

records.

convinced Martin to record a breakbeat album for DJs and other producers to use and remix. At the last minute, Martin decided to place an insert which invited remixers to submit their mixes for a follow-up compilation, '' Drop the Needle''. Along with his percussion work, Martin is a visual artist. He does printmaking, painting, pencil drawings, and pastel drawings, among other mediums. His work has been displayed in several galleries and is also on the packaging of many Medeski Martin & Wood albums, most notably the cover of '' Shack-man''. 2006 was a prolific year for Martin; he created new chamber compositions for John Zorn's

Tzadik Tzadik ( ''ṣaddīq'' , "righteous ne; also ''zadik'' or ''sadiq''; pl. ''tzadikim'' ''ṣadīqīm'') is a title in Judaism given to people considered righteous, such as biblical figures and later spiritual masters. The root of the word ...

label, he released '' Out Louder'' on MMW's new label Indirecto, he produced many new artworks, and published a drum book entitled ''Riddim: Clave of African Origin''.

on DVD

*" Billy Martin's LIFE ON DRUMS" (VongoleFilms.com) *" Billy Martin IN CONCERT" (VongoleFilms.com)

Discography

Bob Moses

*''Visit with the Great Spirit'' (1983, Gramavision) *''Drummingbirds'' (1984, Amulet) *''The Story of Moses'' (1987, Gramavision) *''Time Stood Still'' (1993, Gramavision)

Ned Rothenberg

*''Overlays'' (1991, Moers) *''Real and Imagined Time'' (1995, Moers)

John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards

*''Live in Berlin Vol. 1 & 2'' audio and film (1991) *''The John Lurie National Orchestra – Men with Sticks'' (1993) *''

Get Shorty ''Get Shorty'' is a 1990 novel by American novelist Elmore Leonard. In 1995, the novel was adapted into an eponymous film, and in 2017 it was adapted into a television series of the same name. Plot summary The story is about Ernesto "Chili ...

'' soundtrack (1995) *''Fishing with John'' soundtrack (1998) *''African Swim/Manny and Low'' soundtrack (1999) *''The Legendary Marvin Pontiac'' (1999)

Medeski Martin and Wood

*'' Notes from the Underground'' (1991, Amulet) *'' It's a Jungle in Here'' (1993, Gramavision/Ryko) *'' Friday Afternoon in the Universe'' (1995, Gramavision/Ryko) *''

'' soundtrack (1995) *'' Shack-man'' (1996, Gramavision/Ryko) *'' Farmer's Reserve'' (1996, Indirecto/Amulet) *Wim Wender's ''

The End of Violence ''The End of Violence'' is a 1997 American drama film by the German director Wim Wenders. The film's cast includes Bill Pullman, Andie MacDowell, Gabriel Byrne, Traci Lind, Rosalind Chao, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Udo Kier, and Loren Dean, among ...

'' soundtrack (1997) *'' Great Jewish Music: Serge Gainsbourg'' (1997, Tzadik) *''Great Jewish Music – Burt Bacharach'' (1997, Tzadik) *'' Great Jewish Music: Marc Bolan'' (1998, Tzadik) *'' Combustication'' (1998, Blue Note) *'' Last Chance to Dance Trance'' (1999) *'' Tonic'' (2000, Blue Note) *'' The Dropper'' (2000, Blue Note) *'' Uninvisible'' (2002, Blue Note) *'' End of the World Party'' (2004, Blue Note) *'' Voices in the Wilderness'' (2003, Tzadik) *'' Let's Go Everywhere'' (2008) *'' Radiolarians 1'' (2008) *'' Radiolarians 2'' (2009) *'' Radiolarians 3'' (2009) *'' Radiolarians: The Evolutionary Set'' (2009) *'' The Stone: Issue Four'' (2010) – CD to benefit The Stone; live in Japan *''20'' (March – December 2011) – collection of tracks (released monthly); celebrating MMW's 20 year anniversary *'' Free Magic'' (2012) – acoustic live album, recorded in 2007 *''

Juice Juice is a drink made from the extraction or Cold-pressed juice, pressing of the natural liquid contained in fruit and vegetables. It can also refer to liquids that are flavored with concentrate or other biological food sources, such as meat ...

'' (2014)

Iggy Pop

*''Avenue B'' (1999, Virgin)

Oren Bloedow

*''Luckiest Boy in the World'' (1998, Knitting Factory Works)

Chris Whitley

*'' Perfect Day'' (2000)

John Scofield

*'' A Go Go'' (1998, Verve) *'' Out Louder'' (2006, Indirecto)

Samm Bennett and Chunk

*''Life of Crime'' (1991, Knitting Factory Works)

As soloist and chamber music composer

*''Starlings'' (2006, Tzadik) *''Black Elk Speaks'' (2001, Amulet) *''Solo Live Tonic'' (2002, Amulet)

Illy B Eats

*''Illy B Eats Vol. 1 – Groove Bang and Jive Around'' (2001, Amulet) *''Drop the Needle'' (2001, Amulet) *''Antidote'' (2002, Amulet) *''The Turntable Sessions Vol. 1'' (2002, Amulet) *''Illy B Eats Vol. 2'' (Amulet) *''Illy B Eats Vol. 3'' (Amulet)

Socket

*''January 14 & 15'' (2005, Amulet)

Dave Burrell

*''Consequences'' (2006, Amulet)

G. Calvin Weston

*''Percussion Duets'' (1996, Amulet) *''Houston Hall'' (2006, Amulet)

DJ Spooky

*''Optometry'' (2002, Thirsty Ear)

DJ Logic

*''For No One in Particular'' (2003, Amulet) *''Project Logic'' (1999, Rope-a-Dope) *''Global Noize'' (2008, Shanachie Recordings)

Healing Sound series

*''Falling Water'' (1997, Amulet)

Wil Blades

*''Shimmy'' (2012, Royal Potato Family)

Wicked Knee

*''Wicked Knee'' (2011, Amulet) *''Heels Over Head'' (2013, Amulet)

External links

Billy Martin
official website
Medeski Martin & Wood
official website
Amulet Records
website

Martin's online art exhibit

''Starlings'' on John Zorn's Tzadik imprint

Interview with Billy Martin

Knee Deep in the Groove: An Interview with Billy Martin via TheWaster.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Billy Avant-garde jazz musicians American jazz drummers Living people American modern artists American percussionists 1963 births Tzadik Records artists 20th-century American drummers American male drummers 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians The Lounge Lizards members Medeski Martin & Wood members