EP 86 - Marlon Martinez (Composer/Arranger Marlonius Jazz Orchestra)

The Bass Shed Podcast

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Marlon Martinez is a young virtuoso bassist and composer emerging at the center of the resurgent Los Angeles jazz scene. He has demonstrated his virtuosity while touring with a wide range of artists, from rock icon Stewart Copeland to classical trailblazers Quatuor Ebène. Marlon is the protégé of mentor Stanley Clarke and studied with legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter in New York City. He is the music director and composer of his big band, Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. Marlon is a winner of Colburn School’s 2020 New Venture Competition and was selected as an artist-in-residence for the inaugural Amplify Series at Colburn School in 2022.

In 2010 and again 2011, Marlon was selected to participate in the highly acclaimed Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. During his membership, he performed under the baton of Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev, Neeme Järvi, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and Yuri Temirkanov among others. He performed with international classical soloists such as Mischa Maisky, Leonidas Kavakos, Yuri Bashmet, Lisa Batiashvilli, Yuja Wang, and Deborah Voigt.

Marlon is currently the bassist for Stewart Copeland and Jon Kimura Parker’s epic collaboration Off The Score. Notable tour appearances include the 2015 21C Music Festival with Off The Score, the 2016 Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy with Quatuor Ebène and Stacey Kent, the premiere of his composition Jazz Impressions for String Orchestra, No. 1 at the 2016 Festival du Haut Limousin, and "Don't Box Me In: An Intimate Evening with Stewart Copeland" at Long Beach Opera in 2018.

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