Following a mammoth year of recording and touring in Canada and Australia, Jeff Martin will hit the road in solo, acoustic mode nationally from March through to May on his ‘Returning From The Ocean At The End’ tour.
What does the 777 mean in Jeff Martin 777?
777 is one of many spiritual texts that I base my personal beliefs on.
How does Jeff Martin 777 differ from The Tea Party?
The rhythm sections are totally different from one another and I wrote 90 percent of the material for the 777 record whereas with The Tea Party it is, and has to be, a democracy.
This is quite an extensive tour of Australia. You are not only doing the big cities but outskirt city suburbs and country towns. Is this a circuit you plan on doing regularly?No, it isn’t... It’s just that at this moment in my career my time is becoming more and more limited due to the many projects I have coming up on the horizon. So, as a consequence, this tour circuit is probably the last of this extent for quite some time.
Will you be playing any Tea Party songs on the tour?
Absolutely. It’s my pedigree, my history. I will also be performing for the first time, acoustically, songs off the current album, 'The Ocean At The End'.
What type of topics do you sing about—political, love, spiritual?
All of the above – whatever moves my passion.
Let’s talk about the spiritual side of Jeff Martin, you say on your website: ‘A producer, no matter what style of music they are overseeing, has a responsibility at getting at the infinite background of emotion behind the music of the artist they are working with and distilling those emotions into something that’s perceivable to the public.’ How do you go about achieving this?
There is no manual. The relationship between producer and artist is certainly esoteric and has no parameters or guidelines. What will be will be.
Have you considered doing a duet with someone? Who?
I have done duets in the past – 'Rockwiz' with Tina Arena. More recently I have finished an album with Sarah McLeod and Mick Skelton called 'The Black Diamond Express', and I’m certainly openminded for whatever comes in the future.
What advice can you give musicians which could help them make it a career?
Certainly embrace the new ways of getting your music to as many people as possible without compromising the integrity of the music.
Why Gibson guitars?
It’s the depth of sound of these guitars that enabled my style of guitar playing to fill up as much as possible the spectrum of The Tea Party as a live band.
Who are your earliest influences?
The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix.
What are you listing to now?
My newest music I’ve created with Mick Skelton on a project called Revelator. I’m also involved with a young Australian band called Lepers & Crooks who I’m currently producing, so my focus is currently on them.
What what’s in the future for Jeff Martin?
Following my bliss.
Jeff Martin Tour Dates
Thurs 12 March – Settlers Tavern (Margaret River)Thurs 19 March – Solbar (Maroochydore)
Fri 20 March – The Zoo (Brisbane)
Sat 21 March – The Brewery (Byron Bay)
Mon 23 March – Lizottes (Newcastle)
Tues 24 March – Lizottes (Kincumber)
Wed 25 March – The Basement (Sydney)
Fri 27 March – Pier One (Port Macquarie)
Sat 28 March – Heritage Hotel (Bulli)
Sun 29 March – Transit Bar (Canberra)
Tues 31 March & Wed 1 April – Brass Monkey (Cronulla)
Fri 3 April – Katoomba RSL
Sat 4 April – Newtown Social Club (Sydney)
Tues 7 April – Sooki Lounge (Belgrave)
Thurs 9 April – The Epsy (Melbourne)
Fri 10 April – Karova Lounge (Ballarat)
Sat 11 April – The Workers Club (Geelong)
Mon 13 April – Baha (Rye)
Thurs 16 April – Royal Oak (Launceston)
Fri 17 April – Republic Bar (Hobart)
Sun 19 April – Jive Bar (Adelaide)
Sun 26 April – Mojos (Fremantle)
Fri 1 Mar – The Venue (Townsville)
Sat 2 May – Brothers (Cairns)
Sun 3 May – Darwin Railway Club
