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Monday Jr
Martin Salemi
- Instruments : Piano, Composer, Writing, composition, arrangements, Piano and keyboards
- Date of birth : 30/12/1988 - Bruxelles
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)
Released in 2017, ‘Short Stories’ ( IGLOO Records ) 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 ».
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 - RTBF Musiq3)
After returning from a tour of Japan, he released his third album, “Leaving: Live On Tour”, in 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)
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.
