Terrace Martin

Martin's father, Ernest "Curly" Martin, was a jazz drummer and Omaha Black Music Hall of Fame member, and his mother is a singer. He grew up listening to a broad range of music, including John Coltrane and Parliament and began playing the piano at age six. At 13, producing his first tracks on his Casio CZ-101 Keyboard and an E-mu SP-1200, Martin was encouraged to take up the saxophone and learned to play it by himself before enrolling into Santa Monica High School, to sharpen his musical skills. He transferred to Locke High School, to study under Reggie Andrews, where he became first chair of the All-State Jazz Band. As a child prodigy, Martin gained the interest of talk show host Jay Leno, who presented him with a scholarship and later purchased his first professional horn.[http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/terrace-martin-on-doing-hip-hop-snoop-dogg-jay-leno-tde-not Terrace Martin on Doing Hip-Hop; Snoop Dogg; Jay Leno; TDE; Not Receiving Credit For Some Producing – TI50] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118112051/http://www.thisis50.com/profiles/blogs/terrace-martin-on-doing-hip-hop-snoop-dogg-jay-leno-tde-not |date=November 18, 2015 }}. ThisIs50.com (October 6, 2013). Retrieved on November 17, 2015. After high school, Martin attended CalArts but decided school wasn't for him, and began touring with Puff Daddy and the gospel choir God's Property.

Martin is cousins with Ronald Bruner, Jr. and his brother Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, with whom he has collaborated since childhood.{{cite web |last1=Kelley |first1=Frannie |title=Terrace Martin: 'Everything Got A Little Bit Of Funk In It' |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/microphonecheck/2015/02/11/385218373/terrace-martin-everything-got-a-little-bit-of-funk-in-it |website=NPR.org |access-date=9 January 2023 |language=en |date=11 February 2015}}{{cite magazine |last1=Weiner |first1=Natalie |title=How Kendrick Lamar Transformed Into 'The John Coltrane of Hip-Hop' on 'To Pimp a Butterfly' |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-jazz-robert-glasper-6509665/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=9 January 2023 |date=26 March 2015}} Alongside the Bruner brothers, he was a founding member of the West Coast Get Down jazz collective, who began playing together in high school.{{cite web |last1=Hobbs |first1=Thomas |title=The history of the West Coast Get Down, LA's jazz giants |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/49630/1/west-coast-get-down-los-angeles-jazz-collective-interview |website=Dazed |access-date=9 January 2023 |language=en |date=26 June 2020}}

Martin was recognized by Hollywood and music industry elites and found favor in the jazz world, where he played as a member of Billy Higgins' World Stage All-Stars. Martin's big break came when he produced a Power 106 radio drop with Snoop Dogg. He scored a minor hit with 213's "Joysticc" and went on to become one of Snoop Dogg's sought after producers, placing credits on R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece and Ego Trippin albums. In 2007, he signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records by A&R executives Kenny "Tick" Salcido and Craig Aaronson.{{cite web |url=http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=8707 |title=Snoop Dogg's producer, Terr gace Martin, signs with Warner Bros. Records |publisher=Xxlmag.Com |access-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090403172416/http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=8707 |archive-date=April 3, 2009 }}

The Demo, Martin's 2010 debut album, features him as a rapper and producer. The album includes beats and guest verses from artists including Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Pete Rock, DJ Quik and Kurupt.{{cite web |author=Abstract by Andrew Martin |url=http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/terrace-martin/the-demo/36726/ |title=Terrace Martin: The Demo |publisher=Prefixmag.com |date=January 24, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613204555/http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/terrace-martin/the-demo/36726/ |archive-date=June 13, 2011 }} On September 28, 2010, Terrace Martin and radio personality Devi Dev released the extended play (EP) Here, My Dear. The first single from the EP is "Roll Up Another One", featuring Wiz Khalifa and Overdoz. The EP features guest appearances from Snoop Dogg, Charlie Wilson, Kurupt, Kendrick Lamar, U-n-i, James Fauntleroy II and pianist Kenneth Croutch.{{cite web|url=http://nahright.com/news/2010/09/08/terrace-martin-feat-wiz-khalifa-roll-up/ |title=Terrace Martin feat. Wiz Khalifa – Roll Up! |publisher=Nah Right |date=September 8, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2011}} The EP is inspired by Marvin Gaye's 1978 album of the same name.{{cite web|url=http://whatsinmyheadphones.com/2010/09/08/terrace-martin-feat-wiz-khalifa-overdoz-%E2%80%93-roll-up-music/ |title=Terrace Martin Feat. Wiz Khalifa & Overdoz – Roll Up [Music] | What's In My Headphones |publisher=Whatsinmyheadphones.com |date=September 8, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2011}} On December 21, 2010, Terrace Martin and Devi Dev launched their online music series #DeviTerraceTuesday. On February 22, 2011, they released their second project together, The SEX EP.

In 2013, Martin released 3ChordFold, a fusion studio album project.Balfour, Jay. (August 12, 2013) [http://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2127/title.terrace-martin-3chordfold Terrace Martin – 3ChordFold]. HipHopDX. Retrieved on November 17, 2015. 3ChordFold was followed up with 3ChordFold: Remixed in December 2013, and 3ChordFold: Pulse in Spring 2014, which featured many live performances with guest appearances from Robert Glasper and Thundercat, among others. In 2015, Martin was heavily involved in the development of Kendrick Lamar's critically acclaimed album, To Pimp a Butterfly.{{cite web|title=Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp a Butterfly'.His latest project, Velvet Portraits was released on April 1, 2016: 10 Key Collaborators|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-juice/6502315/kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-10-key-collaborators|website=Billboard.com}}[https://genius.com/Kendrick-lamar-to-pimp-a-butterfly-credits-lyrics Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly [Credits] Lyrics]. Genius (March 16, 2015). Retrieved on November 17, 2015. On April 1, 2016, Martin released his long-awaited, sixth studio album, Velvet Portraits on his Sound of Crenshaw label through Ropeadope.{{Cite web|url=http://www.ropeadope.com/artists/featured/terrace_martin/|title=Ropeadope : Music + Culture + Clothing|website=www.ropeadope.com|access-date=April 6, 2016|archive-date=April 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428100856/http://www.ropeadope.com/artists/featured/terrace_martin/|url-status=dead}} His latest release features appearances from his To Pimp A Butterfly cohorts, Kamasi Washington, Lalah Hathaway, Robert Glasper and Thundercat. Recorded in Los Angeles and Omaha, Nebraska, the highly anticipated Velvet Portraits also taps into his roots, featuring his father Curly Martin on drums and legendary soul group, The Emotions. Velvet Portraits was nominated in the "Best R&B Album" category of the 59th Grammy Awards.

In addition to releasing personal projects, Martin is currently producing albums for Herbie Hancock, YG, SZA and Fergie.{{Citation needed|date=June 2017}}

On June 25, 2020, Terrace Martin, Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, and 9th Wonder announced the formation of a supergroup, Dinner Party. They released a single, "Freeze Tag". Their debut album was released on July 10, 2020.{{Cite web|date=June 25, 2020|title=Hear The New Supergroup From Kamasi Washington, Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, And 9th Wonder|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2089082/terrace-martin-kamasi-washington-robert-glasper-9th-wonder-dinner-party-freeze-tag/music/|access-date=June 25, 2020|website=Stereogum}}

Martin's role models include Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Jackie McLean, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Sonny Stitt, Grover Washington, Jr., Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, Battlecat, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and 1580 K-Day. Martin has said, "I started producing hip-hop tracks because it was the music of my time, but I never lost my love for jazz."{{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Terrace+Martin/+wiki/diff?&a=1&b=2 |title=Terrace Martin's Biography – Discover music, concerts, stats, & pictures at |publisher=Last.fm |date=February 11, 2009 |access-date=August 7, 2011}}

{{Main|Terrace Martin production discography}}

• Melrose (with Murs) (Mursworld.com, 2011)
• The 4 Luv Suite (Empire, 2012)
• 3ChordFold (AKAI Music, 2013)
• 3ChordFold: Pulse (Empire, 2014)
• Times (Empire, 2014)
• Velvet Portraits (Ropeadope, 2016)
• Sounds of Crenshaw Vol. 1 (with The Pollyseeds) (Ropeadope, 2017)
• Dinner Party (with Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder as Dinner Party) (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2020)
• Drones (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2021)
• Enigmatic Society (with Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder as Dinner Party) (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2023)
• Fine Tune (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2023)
• Curly (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2023)
• I Left My Heart in Ladera (with Alex Isley) (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2023)

• 3ChordFold: Remixed (AKAI Music, 2013)
• Dinner Party: Dessert (with Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder as Dinner Party) (Sounds of Crenshaw, 2020)

• 808s & Sax Breaks (2010)
• The Sex EP (2011)
• The Sex EP 2.0: Cease & Desist (2011)
• Northside of Linden, Westside of Slauson (with Salaam Remi) (2019)
• Sinthesize (2020)
• Soul Juice (2020)
• Conscious Conversations (2020)
• They Call Me Disco (with Ric Wilson) (2020)
• Impedance (2020)
• Village Days (2020)
• NOVA (with James Fauntleroy) (2023)
• Her Thoughts (2024)

• Signal Flow (2007)
• Locke High (2008)
• Here, My Dear (2010)
• Hard Drives: Instrumentals Vol 1 (2011)
• Locke High 2 (2011)
• Thoughts From Detention (2011)

• "Pig Feet" (2020) {{small|(with Denzel Curry, Daylyt, G Perico and Kamasi Washington)}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/terrace-martin-mn0002366358/discography Terrace Martin] at AllMusic
• {{Discogs artist}}
• {{MusicBrainz artist |id=47d06156-05af-420e-8835-be50353a5d52 |name=Terrace Martin}}
• [https://myspace.com/terracemartin Terrace Martin] on Myspace

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Long Beach, California

Category:Rappers from Los Angeles

Category:Record producers from California

Category:21st-century multi-instrumentalists

Category:21st-century American saxophonists

Category:African-American male rappers

Category:21st-century American male rappers

Category:20th-century American male rappers

Category:African-American record producers

Category:African-American songwriters

Category:Songwriters from California

Category:American hip-hop DJs

Category:American hip-hop record producers

Category:West Coast hip-hop musicians

Category:21st-century American rappers

Category:21st-century American male musicians

Category:21st-century African-American musicians

Category:20th-century African-American musicians

Category:American male songwriters

Category:American jazz multi-instrumentalists

Category:Locke High School alumni

Category:West Coast Get Down members