Billy Martin plays drums and percussion for the avant-garde jazz-funk trio Medeski, Martin & Wood. Before becoming part of Medeski, Martin & Wood, he was part of Chuck Mangione's touring group for four years. He has also been a percussionist for the The Lounge Lizards and with the John Lurie National Orchestra, and he has collaborated with artists such as John Zorn, Bob Moses, DJ Logic, and Miho Hatori. He has also started his own record label called Amulet Records, specializing in eclectic percussion albums. Jazz is a musical art form characterized by blue notes, syncopation, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, and improvisation. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... Medeski Martin & Wood (MMW) are a jazz trio formed in 1991, consisting of John Medeski (piano, organ), Billy Martin (drums, percussion) and Chris Wood (double bass, bass guitar). ... Chuck Mangione (born November 29, 1940) is a flugelhorn player who achieved international success with his jazz single, Feels So Good, in 1977. ... The Lounge Lizards are a jazz group formed in 1978 by saxophone player John Lurie. ... John Lurie (December 14, 1952) is an actor, musician, and producer born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. In 1978 he formed The Lounge Lizards, initially a tongue-in-cheek fake-jazz combo with his brother Evan. ... John Zorn (born September 2, 1953 in New York City) is a American composer and saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist. ... Bob Moses, community organizer and educator associated with the US civil rights movement and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. ... DJ Logic (born Jason Kibler) is a turntablist active primariy in jazz and the with so-called jam bands. ... Miho Hatori Miho Hatori (b. ...
The elder Martin was involved in the premier of John Cage works, the Modern Jazz Quartet under the direction of Gunther Schuller, and also performed on the Verve classic "Focus" with Stan Getz and Roy Haynes.
Billy was 11 years old, and he received a hand-me-down drum kit from his older brother Kenny (1957-1996).
Contrary to the contemporary music he was delving into, Billy started clubbing his last year of high school in NYC and stepping out with the freelance dancing styles of hip hop and roller-skating at the Roxy and elsewhere.
Martin acted as the band's first manager, sending out press kits and recordings to clubs from his father's office in New Jersey (as well as serving as MMW's de facto mechanic on the road).
In 1998, Martin established his own Amulet Records imprint, where he released recordings of himself and Calvin Weston, as well as experimental discs, such as the breakbeat vinyl-only release of illy B Eats and the solo percussion disc Black Elk Speaks (both in 2001).
Martin continues to tour and record with MMW, also finding time to curate shows in Manhattan, as well as be with his wife, Phaedra, and his child, born in the summer of 2001.
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