How much do you know about Peter Martin? In this conversation with Kirk Hamilton of the Strong Songs podcast, Peter shares his musical influences and trajectory as a young jazz pianist. He brings us right back to the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s with stories of meeting Wynton Marsalis, and playing with jazz legends like Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove and Joshua Redman.

Plus, he shares his take on jazz education, the marathon runner's mindset and why anyone and everyone can play music.

Check out the Strong Songs podcast: https://strongsongspodcast.com/

Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi

00:00 - Introducing Today's Episode
02:50 - Peter's Strong Songs Interview
06:00 - Peter's Musical Background
08:00 - The Suzuki Method
14:30 - Nurturing Talent
16:30 - How Peter Discovered Jazz
20:30 - Meeting Wynton Marsalis
27:00 - The Midwestern Jazz Scene
33:20 - Juilliard, Roy Hargrove and the Young Lions
35:40 - Moving to New Orleans
38:30 - The Economics of Jazz in the 90s
40:00 - Playing with the Legendary Betty Carter
44:30 - Jazz Musicianship Then and Now
47:15 - Roy Hargrove and the Summer of '94
52:15 - Joining Joshua Redman
57:45 - Rethinking Jazz Education
1:02:15 - The Marathon Runner's Mindset
1:07:20 - Kenny Kirkland: Awe & Inspiration
1:15:00 - Roy Hargrove, The RH Factor and Hard Groove
1:20:00 - My Funny Valentine - Miles Davis
1:25:00 - How to Find the Recommendations in this Episode

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was one of the BIGGEST records of the 90s. When you sell 20 million records, like Lauryn Hill did, you're into mass market territory; you're selling records all over the world and reaching across genres. With Miseducation, Lauryn Hill struck a nerve with humanity. How did she do it?

As you'll hear in this episode, the album sounded unlike other chart-topping hits at the time. It features tons of acoustic instruments, beautiful chord progressions, Stevie Wonder vibes, palatable melodies, a D'Angelo cameo and deeply personal storytelling. And Lauryn Hill herself has the presence of an actor with the soul of an underground musician.

Listen with us as we parse through Lauryn Hill's only album track-by-track to answer the question: What makes this album great?

Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi

00:00 - Intro Jam: "Doo Wop (That Thing)"
02:05 - A Concept Album About Love
04:55 – The Fugees, Sister Act II & Stardom
07:40 - "Intro" + "Lost Ones"
10:50 - “Ex-Factor”
13:15 - "To Zion (Feat. Carlos Santana)"
20:05 - "Doo Wop (That Thing)"
21:45 - "Superstar"
23:30 - “When It Hurts So Bad”
25:50 - "I Used to Love Him (feat. Mary J. Blige)"
33:00 - Hitting a Nerve with Humanity
37:20 - "Every Ghetto, Every City"
40:20 - "Nothing Even Matters"
42:50 - "Everything Is Everything"
45:10 - "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill"
47:30 - "Can't Take My Eyes Off of You - (I Love You Baby)"
52:35 - Desert Island Tracks + Apex Moments
1:01:50 - Up Next

Keith Jarrett's "The Köln Concert" is the best selling solo piano album of all time. But why this album? Possibly because it sounded like nothing else in popular music at the time of its release in 1975. It is cinematic, genre-fluid and masterful – in many ways ahead of its time.

Jazz musicians Adam Maness and Peter Martin listen to one of the most popular albums in the history of jazz, pulling apart all the elements that make it great: the melodies, the vamps, even the "soul" of Jarrett's notoriously flawed piano.

If you know "The Köln Concert" well, watch for the analysis and hot takes. If you haven't heard this album before, it may just become the soundtrack to your life!

Start your free Open Studio trial for ALLLLL your jazz lesson needs:
https://osjazz.link/yhi

00:00 - Is it Köln or Cologne?
06:30 - Part I
09:20 - How Jarrett Made Music for the Moment
17:00 - Jumping Back Into Part I
23:00 - Joyful and Fearless
29:00 - All the Genres
33:20 - Legit Amazing AND Popular
36:05 - The Harp
42:00 - Part II a
48:25 - 80s Cinema Vibes
54:20 - Part II b
1:00:55 - Part II c
1:04:00 - Apex Moments & Categories
1:11:45 - GALA + Black Friday at Open Studio!