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José Luiz Martins' 'Odyssey Mixtape' is out April 18, 2025 via Origin Records When José Luiz Martins was diagnosed with the neurological condition focal dystonia, he had to step away from being able to practice piano for years, all while still needing to keep playing regularly as a professional musician — and plummeted into a thick depression. “I literally couldn't play a C major scale during this time, ” Martins reveals. “My fingers would spasm and react in crazy ways — and as much as I fought, it got worse.” But as they say, the tough get going — and Martins fought tooth and nail to reclaim his musical faculties. The result is the São Paulo, Brazil-born, Washington D.C.-based pianist’s intrepid new album, Odyssey Mixtape — featuring Martins on piano, keys, and synths, accompanied by flutist/vocalist Alex Hamburger; bassist Romeir Mendez, drummer Dana Hawkins. On three of these inspired, mostly original compositions, John Lee joins on guitar; one features vocalist Nakama. , electric bassist Tyrone Allen II, and drummer Florian Haas. Out April 18 via Origin Records, Odyssey Mixtape stares Martins’ calamity straight in the eye, and charts his grueling path out of hopelessness and infirmity. “The psychological challenges that compelled me to step away from what had become my norms also led to a meaningful reconnection with my past, ” Martins reflects, citing old passions like graffiti, skating, and rock music, long “overshadowed by a closed mindset.” “This interplay between darkness and light, depression and hope, is a recurring theme in both the compositions and the overall mood of the album, ” Martins explains. But however personal and visceral a listen — crucially, the Mixtape component keeps it light on its feet. “This album took an unexpected compositional direction that I was really happy about, ” Martins says, “with more synths, rock, funk, and lyrics as a way to express this difficult journey.” Martins has been beloved on the scene for going on a decade. Of his 2016 album, Amanhã, Kess Schoof from Música Brasileira wrote, “Pianist José Luiz Martins enters the world of recording with an interesting and surprising album that fascinates from the first till the last note. It shows there’s still hope for jazz in the future.” And Musical Memoirs called 2023’s Reflections the work of an “amazing talent, ” singling out Hamburger’s “sweet vocals” as a highlight. The first single, a rendition of Milton Nascimento’s “Cravo e Canela, ” is a sui generis piece of music — and challenging to play, to boot. “The arrangement highlights the idea of a ‘dirty fusion, ’ where nothing needs to be perfectly clean-cut, and everybody plays taking chances, not playing safe, and accepting the risks, ” Martins says, calling Hamburger, Mendez, Hawkins, and their guests “creators, risk-takers, and true friends.” “I love the idea that we play in the way of an Expressionist painter, guided by emotions and energy, using bright colors to enable the viewer to get lost within these intricate depictions, ” he continues. “This leaves the listener filling in the gaps with their interpretation, creating a kind of language with which you can communicate on a subconscious level.” Another highlight is the Nakama. lyrics for Martins’ original “Don’t Act Like, ” recorded remotely during the pandemic in New York and Switzerland. Nakama. describes its lyrical theme as, “When you cannot control the world around you, you have to dig deep into yourself. All of the experiences that made you who you are, are the cost of creating art, and we pay with our struggles to find new growth.” Martins’ original, “Bloom, ” carries a potent, turbulent rock atmosphere. “It helps show this changing of moods and ups and downs in my mind through the days, ” he says. “From darkness and hopelessness, to lightness and positivity, back to rage and fury, and into hopefulness for the future. This song shows the clearest depiction of the story of these ups and downs I faced through this battle with focal dystonia.” The pianist with the help of vocalist Alex Hamburger also penned “Metamorphosis, ” which captures the bright side. “The lyrics talk about transformation and finding myself, which is why the lyrics switch from English back to my native language, Brazilian Portuguese, ” he explains, quoting the lyrics in English: “Life will show you the path and give you your own direction / Time will pass, and you’ll find that your dreams transform, as you find your true self.” Thrillingly, after a period of extensive research and meditation, Martins beat his focal dystonia. Odyssey Mixtape is a vehicle for community-building and healing. Through the process, he learned the condition had prematurely ended the careers of countless musicians. “I hope that this album serves as a way to connect and give hope to each other, ” Martins concludes. Which is just one of many levels on which Odyssey Mixtape is a high point for the pianist — one back at full force, and ever more committed to exploring boundaries between music styles, cultural roots, and the interplay of tradition and innovation. ### Tracklisting: Incerteza Don’t Act Like Cravo e Canela Bloom Yatra-Tá Metamorphosis Tierra Extraña |
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