The only Web Page authorized by Jay Martinez
JAY
MARTINEZ
Guitarist/Synth
Guitarist/Vocalist
San Antonio, Texas
The only Web Page authorized by Jay
Martinez
Ever since he learned to talk, Jay Martinez has been singing. He first sang at family gatherings as a child, and then in his teens, learned to play the guitar. Proud of their son, Martinez's parents encouraged him to participate in talent contests. "I formed my first band, the Del-Tones, in high school and we played at hops. Dad was our designated driver. He dragged me all over the state," Martinez said, laughing.
Except for a brief stint operating a family business in the 70s,
Martinez has played music professionally throughout his adult
life. Along with his guitar playing, and in the past five years,
a venture into synthesizer guitar to round out his music,
Martinez's smooth, stylish high tenor has graced a number of San
Antonio bands. In the 1960s, Martinez performed with Bits of
Soul, playing the San Antonio hotel circuit. "I had a stint
with the Spanish band Machismo in the 80s," he said, which
performed Rhythm &Blues, polkas and cumbias (a Spanish dance
style). Martinez also played bass guitar in the late 70s and
early 80s with Rick & Company, a top 40/disco band, and in
1990-91 in the Magic 50s band. He and Austin band, Rhythm
Syndrome, were featured at numerous events during the month-long
World Cup 94 Soccer Games in Dallas, where they opened for a
LaMafia concert and Julio Iglesias.
Martinez appears weekly at several local jam sessions, and
performs currently with three San Antonio bands: Albert Garcia's Suprise
Package,
a variety group; soul/R&B singer Laura Bell's backup band,
The Blue Aces; and a Tejano band, Bravado, with whom he is
working on a CD. "I've been doing R&B for so long, I
have to learn to sing a different style, a different groove, to
do Tejano. It is not as melodious as R&B; it is more
straightforward, with chopped up phrases," he said.
Past recording efforts include a bilingual single of the Stevie
Wonder cover, "Lately," in 1984 that got air play on a
local Spanish AM station, and another all-Spanish single, which
featured "Por Ti Soy Feliz" and "Pa-Todo El
Ano" three years later.
Years of study have culminated in a self-taught vocal style
evocative of some of the great R&B singers of the 60s.
"I grew up listening to Country Western artists like Hank
Snow, Lefty Frizzell and Hank Williams. Then Elvis came along and
I learned some of his songs and some songs by The Crickets,
too." Martinez also drew from Big Band and swing vocalists
such as Joe Williams; R&B singers Ray Charles, Bobby Blue
Bland and Stevie Wonder; bluesman B.B. King; and jazz stylists Al
Jarreau and George Benson. R&B ultimately has kept Martinez's
attention. He is putting together his own R&B material to
record. "I don't try to copy anybody," he said.
"It's been a long road getting to [the way] I interpret my
songs. I hope that comes across in future recordings."
--Rachael Lee
E-Mail Jay martinez@stones.com or call 210-680-4316 for Booking this "GREAT MUSICAL TALENT"
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Last revised:
23 Nov 2002