Fans of quality soul music will certainly have heard of Ian Martin before. Either they have his debut album One from 2000 or they’ve heard him on the first release of Soul Brother Records’ Organic Soul compilation series. Five years later and Ian finally has released his sophomore album The Way. It has already been picked up by Expansion Records for an UK release so you know Ian has something special to offer here.
Ian was born and raised in Toronto Canada and began playing in church. Oddly enough it was the record A Physical Presence by the UK band Level 42 that was the beginning into another aspect of Ian’s musical journey. “It opened up my thirst for learning about harmony, songwriting/composition and jazz derived music,” Ian says. “I think I was hooked from that point on.”
He studied Film Music Composition at the renowned Berklee College of Music and now lives and works in Los Angeles, USA.
His new album The Way has a similiar approach like Yolanda Charles Mamayo project (actually she’s also a bass player) with Ian writing and producing the album and inviting guest singers like Sy Smith, Gavin Christopher, Jason Joseph or Jeff Robinson to give his music a wider appeal. (Actually there are too many guest musicians on this album to mention everybody). Musicwise Ian follows rather the path of Kloud 9, Ty Causey or Steve Butler with his releaxed and sometimes smooth R&B/soul songs than Yolanda’s Brit funk and soul.
But like Mamayo’s The Game Ian’s The Way is an album that sounds great from start to finish with no bad songs inbetween. Ian knows how to write and arrange a good song with a memorable hook whether it’s the midtempo dancer Release (with Sy Smith on vocals) or the beautiful ballad So In Love (with Kes Stanton as vocalist).
On of my favourite tunes is the uptempo track Brother with its fine string arrangement, sax, guitars by Craig T. Cooper, bass by Ian of course and Gavin Christopher’s great soulful voice. Craig T. Cooper and the string section can also be heard on the catchy Movin’ On with Robin McKelle and Ian on vocals. With Let Me Give You More there’s also an impressive show-stopping jazzy ballad with inspiring vocal input by Tim Owens and Jill Zadeh. The smooth jazz of Tell Me If You Still Care and Family finally give more room for Ian’s bass and keys playing.
To sum it up The Way is a stunning sophomore album from Ian Martin and it certainly will be amongst my favourite albums of 2005.

Tracklisting of The Way: 1. Welcome/ 2. Release/ 3. So In Love/ 4. Brother/ 5. It’s Your Nite/ 6. No Regrets/ 7. You Are/ 8. Movin’ On/ 9. Knockdown Side/ 10. Interlude/ 11. Tell Me If You Still Care/ 12. Family/ 13. Le Chemin/ 14. Let Me Give You More/ 15. Outro/ 16. You Are (eDrew Remix) | released 2005 by Delmar’s Pen Music

For more infos visit ianmartinmusic.com and cdbaby.com.

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