Billy Martin (percussionist)

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For other people known by this name, see Billy Martin (disambiguation).

Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest graduate Billy Martin plays drums and percussion for the avant-garde jazz-funk trio Medeski, Martin & Wood. Before becoming part of Medeski, Martin & Wood, Martin was part of the NYC Brazilian scene in the 1980's. He performed regularly with Pe De Boi, Batucada and several Bob Moses bands for over a decade. He also joined Chuck Mangione's touring group for three years. Most notably he has developed as a percussionist for the The Lounge Lizards and with the John Lurie National Orchestra, and has collaborated with artists such as John Zorn, DJ Logic, Dave Burrell and Miho Hatori. He has also started his own record label, Amulet records, specializing in eclectic percussion albums or 'The art of percussion, avant-garde and beyond'. Other collaborations include Iggy Pop, Eyvind Kang, DJ Olive, Ikue Mori, John Scofield, Maceo Parker, 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 records. DJ Logic convinced Martin to record a breakbeat album for DJ's 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, and Drop the Needle was born.

Along with his percussion work, Martin is an 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 Shackman.

This year (2006) has been prolific for Martin as he created new chamber compositions for John Zorn's Tzadik label, Medeski Scofield Martin and Wood released Out Louder on MMW's new label Indirecto, many new artworks, and an upcoming drum book entitled Riddim: Clave of African Origin.


[edit] External links

[edit] Discography

w/Bob Moses

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

w/Ned Rothenberg

  • Overlays 1991 (Moers)
  • Real and Imagined Time 1995 (Moers)

w/John Lurie and the Lounge Lizards

  • Live in Berlin vol.1&2 audio and film (1991)
  • Men With Sticks (1993)
  • Get Shorty soundtrack (1995)
  • Fishing with John soundtrack (1998)
  • African Swim/Manny and Low soundtrack (1999)
  • The Legendary Marvin Pontiac (1999)

w/MMW

  • Notes from the Underground 1991 (Amulet)
  • It's a Jungle in Here 1993 (Gramavision/Ryko)
  • Friday Afternoon in the Universe 1995 (Gramavision/Ryko)
  • Get Shorty soundtrack 1995
  • Shackman 1996 (Gramavision/Ryko)
  • Farmer's Reserve 1996 (Indirecto/Amulet)
  • Wim Wender's End of Violence 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)
  • Tonic 2000 (Blue Note)
  • The Dropper 2000 (Blue Note)
  • Uninvisible 2002 (Blue Note)
  • End of the World Party, Just in Case 2004 (Blue Note)
  • Masada Anniversary 2003 (Tzadik)
  • Happy Feet soundtrack 2006

w/Iggy Pop

  • Avenue B 1999 (Virgin)

w/Oren Bloedow

  • Luckiest Boy in the World 1998 (Knitting Factory Works)

w/Chris Whitley

  • Perfect Day (2000)

w/John Scofield

  • A Go Go 1998 (Verve)
  • Out Louder 2006 (Indirecto)

w/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)

As illy B Eats the break beat and remix series

  • illy B Eats vol.1- Groove Bang and Jive Around (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)

w/Socket

  • January 14 & 15 2005 (Amulet)

w/Dave Burrell

  • Consequences 2006 (Amulet)

w/G.Calvin Weston

  • Percussion Duets 1996 (Amulet)
  • Houston Hall 2006 (Amulet)

w/DJ Spooky

  • Optometry 2002 (Thirsty Ear)

w/DJ Logic

  • For No One in Particular 2003 (Amulet)
  • Project Logic 1999 (Rope a Dope)

Healing Sound series

  • Falling Water 1997 (Amulet)
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