Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting
Myspace Layouts - Myspace Editor - Image Hosting
Member Since: 4/11/2007
Band Members: Tom Martin - Vocals, Guitars, Mandolin, HarmonicaBill Green - Bass Guitar and Double BassPete Wingate - Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute, KeyboardsGlyn Phillips - Drumkit, Congas, (and more percussion than you can shake a stick at . . .)
Influences: OK, this is an interesting one; because in reality the band sounds only like itself. Yeah, I know a lot of bands say that, but any influences we have are unconscious and have more to do with our individual musical backgrounds than any desire to emulate others.
The band plays original numbers by Tom (who manages to be both incredibly prolific and deeply observant and meaningful at the same time), but with a few covers as well. It's a very difficult band to label - in fact it is actively 'label-resistant' - but with the members coming from backgrounds steeped variously in folk, rock, blues, jazz, country, pop, rock'n'roll, acoustic and latin-american there is a rich musical heritage to draw from.
Tom himself describes it, when asked, as covering "from Celtic Soul to Acoustic Rock'n'Roll". The nearest 'overall vibe' is probably similar to his fellow Belfast compatriot Van Morrison (ie imagine trying to label VMs output!), though Tom cites his musical heroes as including Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Paul Simon, Leonard Cohen, Bert Jansch, to name but a few. Ask the rest of the band and you'll get different opinions again!
If you've seen the Tom Martin Band before you'll know to expect a great night of powerful songs delivered in Tom's unique gravelly-yet-soft voice, exquisite finger-picking and slide-guitar playing on acoustic and electric, backed by Pete's alternately exhilarating and dreamy alto and soprano saxes, flute and keyboards, Bill's beautifully crafted basslines and Glyn's percussive soundscapes on congas, cajón, drumkit and all manner of bells, cymbals, shakers etc, etc.
The full band allows Tom's music to expand itself ever outwards as the different members each bring something new to the tunes. The current line-up has been together since 1999 and have two albums to date: "Old Stones" (2001) and "Darkness & Beauty" (2006). You can hear the latter on the player below.
Sounds Like: "Darkness and Beauty" (2006) - the Tom Martin Band
Tom Martin Band - Album Launch for "Darkness & Beauty"
at the Roadhouse. This is a one-hour amateur video.
The first couple of songs are Tom doing a solo spot
before introducing the rest of the band
(around 6 mins 30 secs into the video).
Record Label: unsigned
Type of Label: Indie