Edy Martínez, the Music Architect Behind the Piano

A Midnight Jazz Affair

At the insistence of his former stage partners in New York, Edy later returned to the Big Apple to work on new ideas and musical projects. Ray Mantilla and Gato Barbieri were some of those who were waiting for him. It was in this multicultural city, the place that had given him the possibility to create his second great Latin jazz production; the album “Midnight Jazz Affair” came to life in 2008. This work could be considered his best production as a result of years and years of experience in the Latin jazz and salsa scene. He filled the compositions with an array of colors that shined, spread with contrast, and clearly illustrated his profound musical perspective. This album was characterized by a variety of stylistic elements that broadened the landscape and a careful integration of styles that stirred the senses of any Latin jazz listener. Deep and rich harmonic progressions were the perfect ingredients used in this album. The piece “Suite for Piano” is a good example, a powerful song with a subtle layer that invokes motion and emotion. “Guaneña” is a song that clearly reflects an integration of styles. This piece was based on a traditional Colombian song, but with Edy’s hands involved it was transformed into a splendid composition full of flavour and melodic voices. Perhaps his best song on this album is “Celebration” a composition that starts with an expressive piano intro followed by touching wind instrument lines that lead up to an explosion of descarga.

In New York Edy is an obligatory reference for dozens of musicians. In 2011 he was called to form an orchestra to play in the Harlem Week Celebrations. He was part of the Harlem Afro-Cuban All Stars with legends like Dave Valentin and Jerry Gonzalez.

The lines written in this report aim to draw an overall portrait of Edy Martínez’s musical life. The discipline that he developed even from a young age, seems to only strengthen over time, one of his most notable qualities. What is absolutely remarkable about him is his passion for music. His more than 50 years of career playing, arranging, composing, directing, and producing, most of the time staying behind the music and the acclaimed artists, is a testament to Edy as one of the best examples of humbleness, dedication, talent, and love for music. For many reasons, this article could have omitted other albums and a few other artists with whom he worked, but beyond this what I will not omit is the uncanny connection between the attitude Mr. Martínez had when he first settled in Miami 50 years ago and the same genuine attitude he had when I met him last year, in Jazz al Parque 2011. I met a musician still full of wishes to learn everything that he could from other musicians, trying to share all that he could with the piano – it seemed to be a message to all of us, that music is a love in action. At present, while you read this report it is possible that in his apartment, in New Jersey, NY, Edy is studying some form of classical, jazz or Latin music, perhaps dreaming about coming back to his beautiful country, Colombia, where it all began.

Acknowledgement

Special gratitude to the maestro Edy Martínez for his great patience, to Vilma Rincón for her help providing all the information and graphical material available. All photographs courtesy of Edy Martinez.

Edy Martínez´s Discography

Abbreviations: Pianist (P), Arranger (A), Composer (C), Producer (PR).

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