When an injury barred Andy Martinez from dancing in musical theater, he never thought he would be pursuing the arts again when he came to UCLA. After taking a jazz vocal class, however, Martinez returned to an active role in performance, such as singing for the UCLA chancellor’s residence recital program and Ella Fitzgerald’s birthday party.
With the newest installment of the Fowler Out Loud series, Martinez, a doctoral student in culture and performance, will bring his jazz stylings and bossa nova-themed arrangements to the Fowler courtyard on Thursday for “Valentine’s Day with Andy Martinez.”
From Latin rhythmic variations of the American songbook to jazz-flavored remakes of contemporary music, Martinez’s show seeks to bring out a cultural atmosphere for lovers and broken hearts.
“It’s all about the process (of song selection),” Martinez said. “It’s ‘why am I getting up to sing?’ This whole concert is (about)… songs that I hope will take any bad luck out of someone’s day.”
To achieve this, Martinez and his band will perform a range of songs from George Gershwin and Stevie Wonder to current music, flavoring each piece with a mix of jazz and bossa nova to create what has become Martinez’s signature sound. Martinez’s ability to place a feeling of jazz to contemporary pop music is accomplished through intricate arrangements, something that Martinez said he finds strong joy in doing.
Martinez’s pianist and third-year jazz studies student Kiefer Shackelford said he attributes the success of Martinez’s arrangements to more sophisticated harmonies and changes in rhythm. The improvisational feel of jazz music also allows for a freeness in performing the music, which Martinez says he takes advantage of when building his arrangements.
Opening with the 1930s show tune “The Lady Is a Tramp,” Martinez said he will immediately connect with the audience to provide a welcoming ambiance with the high-intensity swing tune. Also, playing the entire show in the courtyard of Fowler allows for a closer proximity between the musician and the listener, contributing to a cozy environment.
“(The audience) is going to be transported, and they’ll unplug,” Martinez said. “It really is a night about getting comfortable and thinking about these very human processes of love … An evening of really cool meditation through a lens of jazz.”
Backing Martinez for the concert will be a band consisting of bass, drums and piano played by Shackelford. Having worked with Martinez in a jazz vocal class, Shackelford says Martinez’s ability to interpret songs from the past with a contemporary perspective creates a mood for the listener that almost seems conversational to the modern day audience.
“(Martinez) is just a great lyric interpreter,” Shackelford said. “He is really concerned with what the lyrics mean and what things would be aesthetic of a tune. … He chooses tunes that cover a lot of sentiments, especially in this set.”
Filling the show with songs of passionate love and destructive breakups, Martinez said he aims to create a concert that touches the entire audience, those both in and out of love. He also added that he wants to explore how love affects a person, singing about the good as well as the bad. Closing with Gershwin’s “Who Cares?”, Martinez brings a 21st-century interpretation of a classic American song that speaks to the carelessness of love and heartbreak.
As a student in ethnomusicology professor Michele Weir’s jazz vocal class, Martinez impressed the professor with his abilities not only as a singer, but also as an artist accessible and in tune with his audience. Martinez’s ability to elicit an emotional response from the listener helps to engage audiences who might not be familiar with the concert’s repertoire.
“(Martinez) sings and it’s as though his spirit takes over,” Weir said. “He’s able to communicate beautifully and soulfully. It feels genuine when he sings. … You get the sense that he’s very present to every moment in the music.”
While Martinez arranges his tunes for Thursday’s show, he places a strong emphasis on bringing the entire courtyard together for a day of love.
“I don’t want it to be just about the gooey throes of first passion,” Martinez said. “It’s a concert for every person. No matter where you are in life, in love, in school, in L.A.”