Pianist and educator Peter Martin is a man of many talents.
His evolving project Open Studio has transformed the landscape of jazz education by blending interactive online learning with direct access to celebrated musicians, offering personalized instruction that reshapes the teaching and experience of music in the digital era.
Martin recently spoke with WBGO's Doug Doyle about Open Studio and how it is creating an even larger jazz community.
"When I kind of first started Open Studio and even before that when I was experimenting with video lessons and podcasts and putting them online, I didn't know how important they would be. I didn't have a grand plan. It was just really about being able to satisfy individuals that I met or reached out to me from when I was traveling on the road during tours. They wanted to take a lesson or ask some questions. I always felt an obligation to pass on information because I had great teachers growing up."
The platform's impact was particularly pronounced in 2023, with a 60% increase in active membership expanding its reach to 140 countries. This growth is a testament to Open Studio's commitment to making jazz education both accessible and deeply engaging, and with plans to launch new courses featuring Emmet Cohen and Aaron Parks this year.
"Both of those courses are amazing because I was in the studio when they were happening. They are the kind of things that I get excited about."
Martin's new quartet, “Generation S,” is revolutionizing jazz with a fresh approach. The "S" is for swing.
"In this day and age, you really have to want to make a record. What's really easy is to just make a track and throw it up on Spotify and do whatever. I think that's great that we have this accessibility but now there's not an easy pathway to making a record but of the finances and infrastructure of the business. That's especially the case when it's a jazz record which may not have potential for mass appeal. I didn't want to go in and record a bunch of tunes. I had a specific band in mind. I had specific music I wanted to write."
The other members of the quartet are Sarah Hanahan (sax), Gregory Hutchinson (drums) and Rueben Rogers (bass).
During the WBGO interview, Peter Martin also talked about his career, including his appearance in Good Night, and Good Luck , the 2005 historical drama film about American television news (starring movie David Strathairn as legendary newsman Edward R. Murrow). The film was directed by veteran actor George Clooney. The movie featured a performance from vocalist and longtime Martin collaborator Dianne Reeves. Martin was the piano player in Good Night, and Good Luck.
"I didn't understand the music scene when George Clooney first explained it, but I said whatever I'm hear to play piano. They put me in some 1958-looking-outfit and I'm just going to do my job. When I saw the final product I was like okay that's genius because he knew the power of music in a movie, but he wanted it to work as a sort of documentary style."
You can SEE Doug Doyle's entire interview with Peter Martin here.
