About
Claudia Martínez is a guitarist, composer, arranger and educator born in Quito, Ecuador.
Her initial approach to music happened through the piano, during her childhood. Later on, she chose the guitar as her main instrument, mainly influenced by classic rock, blues and jazz. Afterwards, the influence of Brazilian music appeared, along with contemporary academic music.
Claudia studied at the College of Music (CoM) in Universidad San Francisco de Quito, the only local institution member of the “Berklee College of Music Global Partners”. At CoM, she obtained her Bachelor of Music degree.
After some years teaching music at university, Claudia won a scholarship to attend the prestigious Jamey Aebersold Jazz Study Program at the University of Louisville. There, she got her master’s degrees in ‘Composition and Arrangement’ and ‘Jazz Guitar Performance’, under the guidance of renowned professors like composer John LaBarbera and guitarist Craig Wagner.
Claudia’s high level as a composer and guitarist has led her to participate in several festivals such as Ecuador Jazz, Taylor Park Jazz Fest, La Plata Jazz Festival, Festival de Jazz de UCSG, Festival International de Artes Sonoras, JEN (Jazz Education Network) and others.
Her Work
2016Transformación & Renacimiento
In 2016, her first solo album as The Claudia Martínez Jazz Project was released. The album Transformación y renacimiento features Claudia’s work as a composer, arranger and guitarist. This work exposes a combination of jazz elements with contemporary academic music, in a big ensemble format. This first album was produced and recorded in Quito with the collaboration of high level local and foreign musicians.2020 Ojos abiertos / Ojos cerrados
In 2020, The Claudia Martínez Jazz Project released Ojos abiertos / Ojos cerrados, her second album. This work keeps the combination of jazz with contemporary academic elements and adds elements of Brazilian and Ecuadorian music. This last effort was produced and recorded in São Paulo, Brazil, under the musical direction of saxophonist, composer and producer Thomaz Souza. Highly regarded musicians collaborate on this project: Alexandre Vianna (piano), Vanessa Ferreira (upright bass), Ivan Castro (drums), Reynaldo Izeppi (trumpet), Thomas Souza (soprano sax), Igor Riberti (tenor sax) and Fabio Oliva (trombone). Some of these collaborators are member or renowned bands like Hermeto Pascoal’s Big Band.2023Upcoming Work
Currently, Claudia is producing her third album, which will be released at the beginning of 2024. Besides her personal project with The Claudia Martínez Jazz Project, she is the guitarist of bands Mandacarú (contemporary Brazilian jazz) and Samba Viva Ecuador (Brazilian samba roda).
Music...
The thing that moves and organizes her
the most present obsession
the connection with her surroundings
the heaviness and lightness