Marlon Martinez

Hailing from Los Angeles, Marlon Martinez is a young virtuoso bassist and composer emerging at the center of the resurgent Los Angeles jazz scene. He has demonstrated his virtuosity while touring with a wide range of artists, from rock icon Stewart Copeland to classical trailblazers Quatuor Ebène. Marlon is the protégé of mentor Stanley Clarke and studied with legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter in New York City. He is the Artistic Director, composer and bassist of his big band, Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. Marlon is a winner of Colburn School’s 2020 New Venture Competition and was selected as an artist-in-residence for the inaugural Amplify Series at the Colburn School in 2022.

Marlon received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees on a full scholarship at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles, as a classical bass student of Leigh Mesh and Peter Lloyd from 2009-2015. An avid orchestral musician, Marlon has performed for renowned classical conductors such as Gustavo Dudamel, John Adams, and the late Sir Neville Marriner. In 2010 and 2011, Marlon was selected to join the highly acclaimed Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland. During his membership, he performed under the baton of Charles Dutoit, Valery Gergiev and Neeme Järvi among others. He performed with international classical soloists such as Mischa Maisky, Yuja Wang, and Deborah Voigt. Marlon is a member of Wild Up, and he has performed with the San Diego Symphony, the Martha Graham Dance Academy, Ojai Festival Orchestra, and is a substitute bassist for the New West Symphony. 

As a jazz performer, Marlon played for Burt Bacharach at the San Diego Symphony Summer Pops in 2008, and with the late Ellis Marsalis at Snug Harbor in 2017. In 2019 he played with Ravi Coltrane and Gerry Gibbs for the album release of Thrasher People: Our People, and with Nicholas Payton and the Kojo Odu Roney Experience at Blue Note New York. Marlon performs in jazz ensembles and David Bowie tributes with Bowie veteran Mike Garson. Marlon was a featured soloist at the world premiere of Garson's Symphonic Suite for Healing at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in 2013. As a studio musician in Los Angeles, Marlon has recorded for artists such as Seth MacFarlane, Michael Giacchino, Justin Hurwitz, and Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox. As a faculty member at the Centrum 2023 jazz workshop in Port Townsend, Marlon performed with many artists including John Clayton, Terrell Stafford, Tia Fuller, Jeff Hamilton, Rene Marie and Wycliffe Gordon. 

Marlon is the bassist for Stewart Copeland and Jon Kimura Parker’s epic collaboration Off The Score. Notable tour appearances include the 2015 21C Music Festival with Off The Score, the 2016 Gstaad Menuhin Festival and Academy with Quatuor Ebène and Stacey Kent, the premiere of his composition Jazz Impressions for String Orchestra, No. 1 at the 2016 Festival du Haut Limousin, and Don't Box Me In: An Intimate Evening with Stewart Copeland at Long Beach Opera in 2018. 

Dedicated to teaching about jazz composer Billy Strayhorn, Marlon created Ever Up And Onward: A Tribute To Billy Strayhorn in 2022, an eight episode video series presented by Colburn School that explores the life, legacy and music of Billy Strayhorn. As a Colburn Amplify Series artist-in-residence, Marlon recorded an album, reviving known and lesser known Strayhorn compositions with Marlonius Jazz Orchestra. The album, Marlonius | Strayhorn, will be released in 2023 and the single "All Day Long '' is now available. Marlon was a guest speaker at the Library Of Congress for the 2023 Strayhorn: Known and Unknown discussion panel. At Centrum 2023, Marlon presented a lecture on Billy Strayhorn’s orchestration techniques. Marlon's Strayhorn projects are made possible by the continuous support of Billy Strayhorn Songs, Inc. and the Billy Strayhorn Foundation.

Marlon's 2017 debut album Yours Truly demonstrates his versatility as a bassist and composer. His original compositions are dynamic and soulful, with a fresh juxtaposition of tradition and originality. Marlon highlights Stewart Copeland and Judd Miller on his rock-fusion track "HD," and features contemporary jazz artists Isaac Wilson, Jacob Scesney, Cam Johnson and Aaron Blumenthal. Yours Truly is available on all streaming and downloadable platforms.