With more than twenty albums to his name – both as a leader and as a sideman – Martin Salemi is an eclectic musician, a prolific composer and a sought-after pianist and keyboardist.
« A beautiful example of what jazz can be today: a music nourished by all musics, free of yesterday’s constraints ». (Laurent Graulus – Musiq3)
His 2017 album ‘Short Stories’ (IGLOO Records ) was met with critical and public acclaim – « There’s some Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett in this young musician (…) a knock out » (Le Soir ***), « I really can’t praise this album highly enough (…) Get it! » (Lynn René Bayley, US). In 2018, he won first prize at the B-Jazz International Contest – « What a good band! They sound beautiful ».
His second trio album, ‘About Time’ (2021), was hailed an « instant classic » by Philippe Baron – RTBF and received a 4-star review in Jazz Magazine (FR). « Always of great accuracy and astonishing musicality (…). To listen to and re-listen to until you lose all sense of time. (…). Discover without delay! » (Brigitte Mahaux – Musiq3)
After a tour of Japan, he released his third album “Leaving: Live On Tour” (2023). “There’s an elegance to the trio throughout the record (…) A sophisticated sound that deserves fuller exposure beyond the trio’s home country.” Stephen Graham – Marlbank (UK)
In 2024, he unveiled “Daylight”, his fourth album as a leader on Igloo Records—this time with a stellar quintet featuring Daniel Jonkers, Boris Schmidt, Sylvain Debaisieux, and Lorenzo Di Maio. Blending genres with a fresh, modern touch, the album struck a chord with both listeners and critics. La Libre called it “a must-hear,” while Le Soir awarded it four stars, describing it as “a mosaic of sound, shimmering and exhilarating… Daylight is full of gifts. Its thrilling quality comes from him and his brilliant collaborators.”
A prolific composer, Martin Salemi also writes music for the theatre and the cinema. Among others, he has worked with the likes of the German theatre collective Rimini Protokoll, the Belgian film-maker Luc Jabon and the Domya, La Berlue and L’Anneau theatre companies.
« … There’s nothing cryptic about his superb playing… » Jim Gilchrist – The Scotsman (UK).
Pro-active member of the Brussels music community, he launched in 2021 the ambitious “Muzik1030 Bar” project in his municipality of Schaerbeek. Aiming to revitalise the cultural and catering sectors, he set up a financial and logistical aid programme to assist with the organisation of concerts in local bars. A great success from the start, the project made the headlines in the regional and national press and, in the space of a year, made possible the organisation of over 180 concerts in the cafés of Schaerbeek, providing work for over 600 musicians. The project, supported by the municipality, has been relaunched for three years, and other Brussels municipalities are now trying to draw inspiration from it.
« Un album mosaïque, irisé, enthousiasmant, “Daylight” est plein de cadeaux (…) La qualité exaltante de cet album vient bien de lui et de ses complices. »
Jean-Claude Vantroyen – Le Soir – 4 étoiles, about “Daylight” (2024)
« Le premier album du quintet jongle avec les genres pour dessiner un jazz aussi moderne qu’accessible (…) A découvrir d’urgence »
Maïli Bernaerts – La Libre – 3 étoiles, about “Daylight” (2024)
« There’s an elegance to the trio throughout the record (…)
A sophisticated sound that deserves fuller exposure beyond the trio’s home country. »
Stephen Graham – Marlbank (UK), about “Leaving: Live On Tour” (2023)
« Beautiful melodies and superb trio work […] An instant classic »
Philippe Baron – RTBF Musiq3, about “About Time” (2021)
« A partir d’un matériau d’une grande simplicité, sans recherche d’effets ni de ruptures, le sens du récit et la qualité du son d’ensemble emportent l’adhésion »
Vincent Cotro – Jazz Magazine – 4 étoiles (FR), about “About Time” (2021)
« Toujours d’une justesse et d’une musicalité étonnante […] Il s’écoute et se réécoute à en perdre toute notion du temps […] A découvrir sans plus attendre ! »
Brigitte Mahaux – RTBF Musiq3 about “About Time” (2021)
« Les plages s’enchaînent et coulent avec intelligence dans une fausse simplicité en nous entraînant dans de nouveaux paysages toujours recommencés […] About Time est une production cohérente au naturel léger mais plein d’élan et construite comme une œuvre classique : tout y est mélodie, calme et ravissement, propice à la réflexion, un album que l’on sent inspiré par les idées élévatrices d’une belle humanité. »
Pierre Dulieu – DragonJazz (disque du mois, Sélection Best Of 2021) about “About Time“
« Het spel van Salemi is echter van zulk hoog niveau, zowel emotievol als speltechnisch, en de samenwerking tussen hem en de ritmesectie zo fijn, dat dit trio net zo gemakkelijk tussen al die vernieuwende Belgische bands internationaal grote indruk kan maken. »
Dick Hovenga – WrittenInMusic
« I really can’t praise this album highly enough. If the reader gets the feeling from the above review that I didn’t quite describe Salemi’s playing in enough detail, it is only because there is so much detail that it’s better to just listen and not analyze too much. Get it! »
Lynn René Bayley, Artmusiclounge (US), about “Short Stories” (2017)
« Ca fait du bien d’écouter un album de jazz contemporain qui ne cherche pas à tout prix des sonorités inouïes […] La musique est fraîche, joyeuse, dansante »
Jean-Claude Vantroyen, Le Soir ***, about “Short Stories” (2017)
« Van begin tot einde zuiver akoestisch zonder electronics en toch klopte het plaatje. Respect! »
Georges Tonla Briquet, Jazz’ Halo about “Short Stories” (2017)
« Les compositions du leader sont toutes délectables. Non seulement, elles ont du caractère mais, ni démonstratives ni appliquées, elles sont aussi mémorables par leur côté mélodieux »
Pierre Dulieu, Dragonjazz, about “Short Stories” (2017)
« Martin Salemi est un bel exemple de ce que peut être le jazz aujourd’hui: une musique qui se nourrit de toutes les musiques, libérée de ses carcans d’autrefois. »
Laurent Graulus, RTBF Musiq3
« On est très loin d’un jazz cérébral et hermétique […] Ce sont des mélodies qui accrochent tout de suite, sans tomber non plus dans la facilité. C’est délicat, ça swingue, tout en finesse […] absolument remarquable. »
Xavier Vanbuggenhout, RTBF La Première, about “Short Stories” (2017)
© pictures from top to bottom : Monday Jr, Patrick Clerens, Jean-Frédéric Hanssens, Vincent Blairon
Next Concerts
Here you can find my upcoming tour dates. Hope to see you there!
More infos about schedule and line-up on the concert page.
• 13/10/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Heptone – Ittre, Belgium
• 23/10/2024 – Toine Thys/Motoi Kanamori 4tet – Floreo – Brussels, Belgium
• 24/10/2024 – Toine Thys/Motoi Kanamori 4tet – Lasnes, Belgium
• 25/10/2024 – Toine Thys/Motoi Kanamori 4tet – l’Horloge du Sud – Brussels, Belgium
• 26/10/2024 – Toine Thys/Motoi Kanamori 4tet – La Cidrothèque – Brussels, Belgium
• 26/10/2024 – Hervé Caparros Trio – Ultieme Hallucinatie – Brussels, Belgium
• 09/11/2024 – Otto Kint Duo – Brussels, Belgium
• 20/11/2024 – Schaerbeek Voix – Filousophe – Brussels, Belgium
• 26/11/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Théâtre Marni – Brussels, Belgium
• 30/11/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Centre Culturel – Mouscron, Belgium
• 04/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Rideau Rouge – Lasnes, Belgium
• 05/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – CC Libramont – Libramont, Belgium
• 06/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Le Club – Comines, Belgium
• 07/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – L’An Vert – Liège, Belgium
• 08/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Relais Jazz – Tourinnes-La Grosse, Belgium
• 13/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Jazz9- Mazy, Belgium
• 14/12/2024 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Junglingshaus – Eupen, Belgium
• 18/12/2024 – Schaerbeek Voix – Filousophe – Brussels, Belgium
• 24/01/2025 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Braine L’Alleud, Belgium
• 12/02/2025 – Daniel Stokart Quartet – Pelzer Jazz Club – Liège, Belgium
• 20/02/2025 – Otto Kintet – Rataplan – Anvers, Belgium
• 21/02/2025 – Otto Kintet – Izzy Jazz Club – Bruges, Belgium
• 26/02/2025 – Otto Kintet – Paleis 305 – Brussels, Belgium
• 22/05/2025 – Otto Kintet – Jazz Met Pit – Hoeilaart, Belgium
News
Some random pics from China 🇨🇳
4 weeks in, 3 more to go!
3 sets a night, 6 nights a week at the beautiful JZ Club in Hangzhou with Nicola Lancerotti and @jee_beknbawr, playing alongside great musicians from the local scene:)
#jazz
What a nice surprise!:) So… this beauty just arrived at the club in Hangzhou 🤪 Looking forward to play on this brand new Rhodes MK8 every night for the next few weeks:) #rhodes #rhodesmk8 @rhodes.piano
My home for the next two months:)
Playing at the beautiful JZ Club Hangzhou in China—Monday to Saturday, three sets a night—accompanying local musicians alongside @jee_beknbawr and Nicola Lancerotti:) pass by if you’re around:p
#food
Celleux qui me connaissent savent combien j’adore ce morceau:) Une des chansons française les plus épiques rhalala 🥹😍
Je bosse le répertoire pop pour le prochain concert singalong de ce mercredi au @filousophe_bxl avec clavier basse à la main gauche, clavier accords main droite et kick avec le pied 🎶😁🎹 avec @veerleslootmans et @jeroencapenz ❤️
Je connais 160 morceaux pop par coeur engagez-moi pour les gigs et les soirées je suis chaud là 😭🥳
Lost Railways from my latest album Daylight is available on every streaming platform ☘️🎶
Lost Railways is now on YouTube:) Check it out! 🐝☘️🎶
New video online! 🎥
A one-shot video of ‘Lost Railways’—live from Jet Studio on the Rhodes Mark V! 🚆🎶 From my latest album Daylight. Watch now on YouTube!:)
Late night fun with my new setup:) 🌙 getting familiar with playing bass with the left hand, melody with the right hand and stompbox with right foot ☘️
@logjammusic
Now with subtitles:) 🤓
‘Jumping Fish’ taken from my latest record ‘Daylight’ featuring @sylvaindebaisieux , @lorenzodimaio , @borisschmidtmusic and @daniel.jonkers_ 🎵🐟 Available on every streaming platform:)
