BIOGRAPHY
Jim Martin was born on June 3, 1980 in New York, NY. Raised by his father Martin (from whom the latter half of his stage name is derived), mother Carmen and older brother Henry - he grew up and went to school for the first years of his life in Forest Hills, Queens.
As a result of his parents' divorce in the mid 1980s, he was later encouraged by both his mother and father to take up a hobby on the weekends, such as music, in an effort to help him cope with their separation a little better, which lead him to begin attending weekly piano classes in Queens when he was 10. Moving out to Long Island with his father a few years later, he switched instructors so he could conveniently resume his lessons at home rather than at a school.
Inspired by the classic singer/songwriter records of the early to mid '70s and by modern day hits such as Billy Joel's Storm Front in 1989, Martin began taking some vocal lessons in addition to his ongoing piano studies, and subsequently began writing his own material by the end of 1996.
He commenced work on a solo album with renowned music producer & recording engineer Steve Young (Queen Latifah, Taylor Dayne, the Good Rats) at Media Recording Studios in Merrick, NY in 2003, resulting in his self-titled debut CD, which was released independently throughout parts of Long Island in 2004. Martin's biggest musical influences include Joel, The Beatles, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Ben Folds, Paul McCartney (solo & Wings), the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Neil Diamond and Queen.
He currently resides in San Diego, CA, and can be reached by email at info@jimmartinsongs.com.
G. Roethel, January 2010
THE SONGS
1 When You're Around (I'm on a High) * 3:58
2 The New Sensation * 3:52
3 Bobby & Carrie 4:15
4 Internal Descent 4:29
5 The Moon Will Help Me Sleep Tonight * 3:39
6 We Wanna Rock 3:59
7 Wild Morgan Filly 3:07
8 Nicole's Song 3:56
9 Autumn 3:07
10 This Is Today 3:57
Bonus tracks
11 Better Days Ahead (outtake) 2:40
12 Nicole's Song (extended mix) 7:01
Unrecorded songs that were completed for, but not included on, Jim Martin: "A Gift from Me to You", "All at Once", "Even if You Don't Want Me", "Julia of Yesteryear" and "She Knows". All titles written by Jim Martin except "Even if You Don't Want Me" written by Jim Martin and Christopher Calabrese.
CREDITS
Produced by Steve Young
Words and Music by Jim Martin
Piano and Vocals - Jim Martin
Bass, Guitars, and String arrangements - Steve Young
Drums - Mike LaVolpe, except Nick Carbone on "Better Days Ahead"
Percussion - Perry Carbone
Backing vocals - Mike LaVolpe, Jim Martin, Steve Young
Recorded & Mixed at Media Recording Studios in Merrick, NY (mediarecording.com)
Studio Manager: Valeria Young
Photography: Stuart Levine (stuartphotography.com)
Design: Glen Roethel (glenroethel.com)
Publicity: Tracy Sullivan
Music Consultant: Larry Pollak
With thanks to:
Carmen Bentancor, Henry & Martin Caceres, Christopher Calabrese, Nick & Perry Carbone, Donna Certonio, Kristen Cinarella, The Foley family, The Gonzalez family, Eileen & Kathleen Gunderson, Jason Hennessey, Hazel Keating, Mike LaVolpe, Angela Leal, Stuart Levine, Nicole Lieb, Chris McAloney, Jessica McDonnell, Chrissy O'Conner, Ari Orakciyan, Larry Pollak, Glen Roethel, Jennifer Savino, Craig Seale, Tracy Sullivan, and Steve & Valeria Young. Everyone at KK in Hicksville, LIPN in Garden City, and Media Recording Studios and PLP Music, Inc.
This album is dedicated to the memory of my friend John Rosenberg.
To my mother Carmen - miss ya, mom! sending you lotsa hugs and kisses…
To my brother Henry - I was fababully when I was a kid, and you were ee. Wasn’t life great?
And to my father Martin, for all of your love and support.
© 2004 J. Caceres (BMI) except * © 2000 J. Caceres (BMI).
All rights reserved worldwide.
Printed in the U.S.A.