Home > News

09/09/2020

OMN Legacy story: Eddie Martinez talks to Inessa: A deep musical dive / Audio

By INESSA // The great session guitarist has a new album of his own. Eddie talks with Inessa, Ty Hitzemann and Wayne Anderson. / Originally published December 16, 2018

----------------

Until the current troubles are over and we can go back to our musical lives, OMN is bringing back some of our most favorite stories. Inessa is one of our most favorite people and Eddie Martinez is a gem.

Meanwhile, how about helping us to stay alive. We're not kidding.  --- Tom D'Antoni

---------------

There are lessons to be taken from those musicians who while doing their own thing have also learned and cultivated the art of serving other artists, serving the song, the music.  Eddie is a stellar example of this art form.

There’s no one word that begins to completely describe what role Eddie plays. Countless session musicians have stepped in to provide the backing tracks, musical skills, from backing vocals, to drums, guitar, bass, on a short-term basis for musicians who hire them out for their projects. Eddie is one of those guys. But. He is also Eddie Martinez. A new collection of music is out in the world. He calls it Akosua.

The story behind that album and his many, many moments of session work, the many artists he served in the capacity as a New York studio guitarist are explored in this late summer conversation at Robin Road. On board with me? Ty Hitzemann and Wayne Anderson. And we preview 2 tracks off that new album.

During our time together, we couldn’t help but be delighted over and over again, by the casual name-dropping from Eddie. Without a shred of ego on the part of this guitar shredder. So much a part of his world over the years, from Eric Clapton to Mick Jagger, David Lee Roth, Robert Palmer, Yoko Ono, LaBelle, Run-DMC, and so many others.

In our conversation, we touch in on what and who first inspired him on this musical journey to his music quest (you’ll never guess who), to selling music in this now digital age, and his family of musical brothers. They go deep! On the new album alone, listen for the artful bass work of Carmine Rojas (David Bowie, Joe Bonamassa, Rod Stewart) and Portland’s own local heroes, John Mazzaco and Patrick Lamb.  The self-professed “born ham” and generous spirit that is Eddie Martinez takes us on a really splendid journey. Dive into those weeds with us.

Links to the personnel and artists plus a few video highlights to music that was referenced in our conversation.

Eddie Martinez

Ty Hitzemann

Carmine Rojas

Comments