Album Notes

Richard Martinez is a multi-instrumentalist (Player of brass instruments) composer, who was born September 14, 1955 in San Antonio Texas to Raymond & Angela Martinez.

Age 8 Richard studied piano sang in choir and began his life-long passion for the trombone. In the 1970’s, while Richard was attending high school, he played in the Renown Sound band playing at local country clubs and military bases.

Richard studied with the legendary horn player Earl Hauffman of NBC Orchestra. Hauffman influenced Martinez on many levels which expanded his repertoire while attending classes in college.

Richard went on to study as music major at North Texas State. In 1977 Richard auditioned and won a position with the prestigious United States Air Force Band touring the southwestern states. Upon departure from the Air Force, Richard returned to make Dallas Ft. Worth his home playing in clubs with his own group “Rebound”.

1990’s Richard toured internationally with Lucky Peterson & Bernard Allison as a featured side man and integral part of their horn sections. In 2005 after years of playing behind accomplished jazz and blues men, he began writing what would become his debut solo album. One Eye Open is a life time of reflections on the adversities and joys all rolled up into a mixture of sounds, textures and musical passion.

Richard attributes much of his early jazz schooling to his mentor and founder of Renown Sound, Gary Rosenblatt (Cincinnati conservatory of music graduate) big band and music theory instructor to igniting his passion in High School. Musial influences include; Count Basie, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Freddy Hubbard, The Jazz Crusaders, Earth Wind & Fire and James Brown to name a few.