Frank Martinez

On The Lam Band

I am a lifelong resident of Southern California and have been playing some form of music most of my life. Music was always a big part of my family as my father was a professional jazz musician during the 1940’s big band era. I started on trumpet at the age of 12 and then switched to woodwinds in my late teens. I grew up listening to rock & roll, but now I tend to listen to and be influenced by post bebop jazz and blues and ethnic roots music. Greatest influences include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Stan Getz , Herbie Hancock and of course several of my teachers including Matt Otto.

Currently, I am studying jazz improvisation and keyboard theory. In addition, to the On The Lam band, I also play with a jazz collective known as the Jazz Monks. On The Lam provides an opportunity to play an eclectic mix of music and to use a variety of instruments and sounds.

INSTRUMENTS:

Instruments used in On The Lam include: Yamaha Custom Z tenor sax with a hard rubber mouthpiece called the Expresso made by the Mouthpiece Café; Yamaha XT silver head flute; Hammond XK3 electric organ w/ Leslie 2100 amp; and a Korg electric stage piano.