Hector Martignon

Candid Recording(s):

Biography:

One of Candid’s most exciting recent signings is the cosmopolitan pianist /leader Hector Martignon, a classically-trained pianist from Colombia now resident in New York after an absorbing sojourn in Brazil. Before forming his own band Hector made a name for himself composing, arranging and playing for Ray Barretto’s sextet.

In the early eighties Hector took a Masters Degree in Music (classical piano and composition) in Freiburg but even before this was engaged as pianist by the Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis for the latter’s epic ‘Canto General’ recorded live in Stuttgart with 120 musicians. His inclination towards latin rhythms brought him work with visiting singers such as Celia Cruz and recording sessions with Arturo Sandoval and conga legend Tata Guines, recording with master-drummer Kofi Misizio from Ghana. In 1987 he went to live in Brazil, playing with local bands in clubs and tv shows.

His musical career path led inevitably to the position with Ray Barretto’s band. For seven years he toured extensively in Europe, South America and Japan with Barretto and contributed a large part of the compositional arrangements to his last five records whilst also playing piano & keyboards for him.

Now living permanently in New York, Hector has performed with such latin stars as Mongo Santamaria and Claudio Roditi in the city’s top jazz clubs and at major jazz festivals in the US. He also works as a composer, arranger and producer on a number of Latin music projects and also movie soundtracks for shorts and feature films.

In 1997 he embarked on a 3 week European tour with Don Byron that took him to all the major jazz festivals, after which he presented his own trio at festivals in New York, Switzerland and Colombia. He performed with Max Roach at the 92nd St Y concert series ‘Project America’ and was appointed assistant musical director in the production of Paul Simon’s recent production, the musical ‘The Capeman’. For his first recording for Candid Hector Martignon assembled a group of New York’s hottest Latin jazz players including Ray Barretto, Japanese drum wizard Satoshi Takeishi and percussionist Manolo Badrena to produce an album of great passion and excitement: ‘ Portrait in White & Black’. True to form, the title is of course Jobim’s.

Hectors CANDID album `The Foreign Affair’ features not only his well integrated trio but also has guest appearances from Randy Brecker , Don Byron , Luis Bonilla and Ruben Blades.