Martin Rivas has sought himself in sound from the moment he fell in love with music at age 3. His first 45 purchase, "Soul Makossa," by Manu Dibango, was placed up on the kitchen windowsill for safe keeping when he headed off to kindergarten. Upon arriving home, he found the record to be as warped as a sine wave thanks to the bright sunshine pouring upon it all day. Lesson learned. Take good care of music, and music will take good care of you.
Blending disparate elements such as ’60s soul, improvised sonic experimentation, and garage rock with a distinctly modern folk edge to create a sound that is both instantly inviting and exceptionally deep (avant-folk-soul, if you will), Martin's songs practically smile at you from the speakers. His lyric writing has served as his personal method of therapy for a few decades now, and it seems to be working, for him, and perhaps for the devoted listeners he has shared his music with over the years, because they ain't abandoned him yet.
Martin has released a total of nine solo albums, several standalone singles, and he has shared stage and studio with a wildly varied palette of artists the likes of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Yoko Ono, Aimee Mann, Joan Jett, Dave Chappelle, A Great Big World, Dar Williams, Ingrid Michaelson, Greg Holden, Rosanne Cash, Nicole Atkins, Gov’t Mule, Jimmy Fallon, LeAnn Rimes, Loudon Wainwright III, Garland Jeffreys, Marshall Crenshaw and many many more on stages in the United States, the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. He proudly served for several years as pop sensation Rachel Platten’s guitarist and co-conspirator.
Martin's Campfire shows throughout the New York City area have become something of an NYC tradition, keeping bar patrons happily singing and dancing along to their requests for nearly seventeen years now, proving that a unique voice, an acoustic guitar, and an astoundingly broad sampling of music from across the pop era can make for quite a lovely evening.
Martin’s sixth album, Reliquary, features “Your Heart Will Be Broken Again,” the 2013 Independent Music Award Vox Populi winner for Best Adult-Contemporary Song, and “C’mon While We’re Young,” which was featured on Oxfam America’s Oxfam Summer Jams 2012 compilation, alongside Brendan Benson, Nada Surf, Beat Connection, and more underground artists.
Fatherhood has introduced Martin to his greatest passion of all, and while he is savoring every possible second with his still-relatively new pal, he’s found the time to write, produce and release several albums, including his latest, A Week in the Wood.
Blending disparate elements such as ’60s soul, improvised sonic experimentation, and garage rock with a distinctly modern folk edge to create a sound that is both instantly inviting and exceptionally deep (avant-folk-soul, if you will), Martin's songs practically smile at you from the speakers. His lyric writing has served as his personal method of therapy for a few decades now, and it seems to be working, for him, and perhaps for the devoted listeners he has shared his music with over the years, because they ain't abandoned him yet.
Martin has released a total of nine solo albums, several standalone singles, and he has shared stage and studio with a wildly varied palette of artists the likes of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, Yoko Ono, Aimee Mann, Joan Jett, Dave Chappelle, A Great Big World, Dar Williams, Ingrid Michaelson, Greg Holden, Rosanne Cash, Nicole Atkins, Gov’t Mule, Jimmy Fallon, LeAnn Rimes, Loudon Wainwright III, Garland Jeffreys, Marshall Crenshaw and many many more on stages in the United States, the UK, Ireland, and continental Europe. He proudly served for several years as pop sensation Rachel Platten’s guitarist and co-conspirator.
Martin's Campfire shows throughout the New York City area have become something of an NYC tradition, keeping bar patrons happily singing and dancing along to their requests for nearly seventeen years now, proving that a unique voice, an acoustic guitar, and an astoundingly broad sampling of music from across the pop era can make for quite a lovely evening.
Martin’s sixth album, Reliquary, features “Your Heart Will Be Broken Again,” the 2013 Independent Music Award Vox Populi winner for Best Adult-Contemporary Song, and “C’mon While We’re Young,” which was featured on Oxfam America’s Oxfam Summer Jams 2012 compilation, alongside Brendan Benson, Nada Surf, Beat Connection, and more underground artists.
Fatherhood has introduced Martin to his greatest passion of all, and while he is savoring every possible second with his still-relatively new pal, he’s found the time to write, produce and release several albums, including his latest, A Week in the Wood.