COVER STORY
Exploring a New
Dimension in
New Orleans
Music
James Martin
Set to Release
Third CD
By Dean M. Shapiro
WWhen people hear the words “New
Orleans music,” the immediate association
would normally be jazz or brass
bands or funk or any of several other easily
recognizable genres. But sometimes a
musical style cannot be pinned down to
a specific classification and definitions can
be elusive. So elusive, in fact, that even
the creators of their music are at a loss to
fully describe what they do.
James Martin fits this description.
A multitalented saxophonist, vocalist,
songwriter/composer and bandleader,
James admits, “I’m really horrible at
describing genres of music. Everybody
wants to label and categorize things.”
However, he goes on to say, “I like to
describe what I do as just ‘New Orleans
music.’ I think it encapsulates a lot of
different things.”
When asked to elaborate on what
those “different things” might be, he
said, “There’s always a dance-able aspect
to it and I like to think that’s inside of my
music as well. Some of it is a bit more
polished and pop. Maybe even soulful or
rocking at certain times. But I think all
of that can still be inside of that ‘New
Orleans music’ definition.”
Born and raised in Metairie and River
PHOTO BY :ZACK SMITH
Ridge, James attended Archbishop
Rummel High School and studied at the
New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts
for half-days during his senior year. Under
the tutelage of music theory instructor
Mike Reiner, flutist Kent Jordan and
trumpeter/bandleader Clyde Kerr Jr.,
James described his time at NOCCA
as “an incredibly valuable experience.”
While at NOCCA he also played in the
school band with Trombone Shorty and
keyboardist Jon Batiste who later became
the bandleader for Stephen Colbert’s late
night CBS network TV show.
Turning professional, James began
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