Martin Salemi – Pianist/Composer
Welcome to the website of Belgian pianist and composer Martin Salemi. Here you can find tour dates, pictures, videos, discography, press reviews, scores and music. Thank you for your visit !
Martin Salemi is an eclectic musician and prolific composer, an in-demand pianist and bandleader in constant search of true honesty in every note he plays.
He has brought his own music to stages all across Europe and was described on national radio RTBF as « a beautiful example of what jazz can be today: a music nourished by all musics, free of yesterday’s constraints ». (Laurent Graulus – Musiq3)
Released in 2017, ‘Short Stories’, his first trio album with the IGLOO Records jazz label, was critically and publicly acclaimed – « 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 ». He has recorded three albums with the funk-power band OPMOC and has toured extensively, playing the keyboards on Europe’s biggest stages and festivals.
His second trio album, ‘About Time’, released in Autumn 2021, was considered an « instant classic » by Philippe Baron – RTBF and got 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)
Besides his work as a leader, Martin Salemi is also very much in demand as a sideman. Notably, he regularly explores the standard repertoire with Italian double bass phenomenon Manolo Cabras and young Belgian rising star Gaspard Sicx in the Salemi/Cabras/Sicx trio.
He also plays the keyboards in the Belgian band Otto Kintet who, since 2016, have released three albums – « One thing is certain: this music is of an immense beauty » (Dani Heyvaert – Rootstime).
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).
« 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 : Cindy De Kuyper, Patrick Clerens, Vincent Blairon
Next Concerts
Here you can find my upcoming tour dates. Hope to see you there!
More infos about schedule, line-up and a list of past concerts on the concert page.
• 25/01/2023 – Martin Salemi Daylight – Jazz Station – Brussels, Belgium
• 28/01/2023 – The Spielbergs – CoHop – Brussels, Belgium
• 01/02/2023 – Salemi/Cabras/Lobo – The Music Village – Brussels, Belgium
• 08/02/2023 – Martin Salemi Trio – The Music Village – Brussels, Belgium
• 09/02/2023 – Salemi/Cabras/Lobo – K.No.P – Brussels, Belgium
• 15/02/2023 – Martin Salemi Daylight – The Music Village – Brussels, Belgium
• 22/02/2023 – Martin invite Jean-Claude Salemi – The Music Village – Brussels, Belgium
• 05/03/2023 – Daniel Stokart Quartet – Roskam – Brussels, Belgium
• 11/03/2023 – Daniel Stokart Quartet – l’An Vert – Liège, Belgium
• 16/03/2023 – Stéphanie Bertrand Quartet – Espace Toots – Brussels, Belgium
• 02/04/2023 – Raphaël Aurand Quartet – The Music Village – Brussels, Belgium
• 30/04/2023 – Martin Salemi Trio – Yaounde Jazz Festival – Yaounde, Cameroun
• 14/05/2023 – Samir Barris & Martin Salemi – Mus’ici Festival – Brussels, Belgium
News
A very nice review of our last concert in trio at @jazzzolder along with some great pictures by #erwinvanrillaer 🙂
Thanks @luminous_dash !✨
Some extracts:
"Salemi displayed wonderful piano virtuosity, brilliantly accompanied by the seemingly eternally smiling double bassist Boris Schmidt and percussionist Daniel Jonkers. Together they treated Jazzzolder Mechelen to a generous helping of heartwarming, catchy or not, ballads, fine grooves and vibes.
At Late April, without a doubt the most beautiful moment in the set, we could barely keep dry. What an absolute tearjerker! So compelling and gripping, so deep. With Salemi setting in on piano, Schmidt's double bass taking over the lead. How melancholically narrative that piano playing, so magically the double bass moaned and cried along, serenely comforted by Jonkers' subtle percussion. Mighty magical, or magically powerful, that's also possible.
The standard My Ideal, with beautiful solo by Schmidt, was also very much enjoyed by the audience, during Regina, a tribute to the Brazilian singer Elis Regina, we couldn't help but imagine Regina dancing because it swung so beautifully. Open canvas here for Jonckers who gave a dazzling drum solo. Be sure to check out the recording of Regina, found on the album Short Stories (2017). On the uptempo cover of Cristobal Soto, the title escapes us for a moment, all stops were pulled out, on a mischievous fresh melody, childlike almost....
As a finale we got the aptly titled Leaving, an atmospheric, swinging composition, built around a seemingly very simple melody, which soon nestled itself earworm-like in our brains. No, not bad at all! Catchy vibes and again enjoying the suppleness of the musicians and their joy of playing. Some musical jokes, false endings, one-twos and especially a lot of virtuosity too. Again! They got to do that again for a while, because the audience didn't stop applauding until the band gave us another short encore.
Then it was irrevocably over. But every concertgoer, with or without a drink after, could return home with a generous smile on their face, still enjoying the heartwarming tones. Strengthened or/and anointed into the cold winter night."
Happy to be making music with all these great people this week:) 🎉
- Wed 7/12 at @muntpunt_cafe with @flavioriomusic and @fraremigi_drums ☀️
- Thu 8/12 Recording Daniel Stokart’s music with Manolo Cabras and João Lobo ✨
- Thu 8/12 Ukrainian folk songs with @ann_kozachenko and Nicola Lancerroti 🌈
- Fri 9/12 My trio with @borisschmidtmusic and Daniel Jonkers (chilling in the hotel room on the photo:) at @jazzzolder 😜
- Sat 10/12 with @otto_kintet at CC Coloma 💥
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🎉 Fun on #steviewonder with my friends Jacob and @denisbaeten last week at @knopbxl ☀️
#freefunkboogiebacklash
Free Funk Boogie Backlash 💥💥 Live in Brussels!
Friday 25/11 at @cohopbrussels
Saturday 26/11 at @knopbxl
#freefunkboogiebacklash #prophet6
Sold out !😱🥳Thank you all for coming this week-end to see my band Daylight:) That was really great to see you all there ☀️🤪 We will record an album soon so hopefully more concerts to come 🙂 🎉
@sounds.brussels @borisschmidtmusic @sylvaindebaisieux #martinsalemidaylight #soundsjazzclub #jazzinbelgium #danieljonkers @debastvincent @basile.beau
Tonight 20h30 at @sounds.brussels ☀️💥
Martin Salemi Daylight 🎉 With Sylvain Debaisieux on sax, Daniel Jonkers on drums and Boris Schmidt on doublebass 🙂 Welcome!🌈
@borisschmidtmusic @sylvaindebaisieux #martinsalemidaylight #jazzinbrussels #jazzinbelgium #danieljonkers
My band Daylight ☀️ with Boris Schmidt on doublebass, Sylvain Debaisieux on sax and Daniel Jonkers on drums ✨🌈 We play two gigs this week , come ! 🙌
➡️ Thursday 10/11 in Mons @laduhautbois
➡️ Saturday 12/11 in Brussels @sounds.brussels 🥳
Thanks to Basile Beauvois for the video 🎥
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@borisschmidtmusic @sylvaindebaisieux #martinsalemidaylight @crixcafe #crixcafé #jazzinbelgium #jazzinmons #jazzinbrussels
We play twice this week with my band Daylight !☀️🎉 Come catch us at one of those, really hope to see you there:)) 🌈🥳
Thu 10/11 at @laduhautbois - Mons
Sat 12/11 at @sounds.brussels - Bxl
With #danieljonkers on drums, @borisschmidtmusic on doublebass and @sylvaindebaisieux on saxophone 🙌
Picture by Jean-Frédéric Hanssens:)
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#soundsjazzclub #leladuhautbois #jazzinbelgium #martinsalemidaylight
Happy to be going to south of France this week with my trio !☀️
Thursday 3/11 in Nice at @galerie.depardieu
Friday 4/11 in Antibes at @jamminjuan
Hope to see you there!:)
With @borisschmidtmusic on doublebass and #danieljonkers on drums
Photo by Ger Spendel
#martinsalemitrio @igloorecords #jamminjuan
