Ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ellie-martin-quartet-tickets-830449004327

Toledo-based vocalist and educator Ellie Martin makes her debut at Rudy’s Jazz Room as she celebrates the release of her new album Verdant. Featuring vocalist Ellie Martin with Matt Endahl on piano, Kurt Krahnke on bass and Olman Piedra on drums.

Vocalist-composer Ellie Martin channels her diverse musical influences of jazz, pop, Latin, and singer-songwriter styles into a broad collection of all original material on her debut album, Verdant. Tom Henry of the Toledo Blade describes her as “pitch perfect singer and a heartfelt lyricist.” Dan Bilawsky of Jazz Times writes, “Verdant…offers wonderful greenery and scenery. Covering a tremendous amount of ground while truly coming into her own, Ellie Martin makes a serious impression as an artist with something to say.” This project is a musical journey into Martin’s life as a woman, a mother, and a cancer survivor. Having faced cancer at the age of 25, she realized the importance of living life to the fullest and pursuing her dreams of making music. Martin embodies Verdant through her powerful vocals, vast palette of musical styles, and her sensitivity.

Martin completed her PhD in Jazz studies under the direction of Geri Allen and Nathan Davis. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Toledo where she had the privilege of working with Jon Hendricks. Career highlights include performing at the Pittsburgh Jazz Festival, the Sunset Jazz Festival, and the Michigan Jazz Festival. She was the featured vocalist with the National Arab Orchestra in San Antonio Texas, and performed alongside jazz luminaries Geri Allen, Terri Lynne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, the New York Voices, Jon Hendricks, as well as Afro Blue. Her background in Jazz Studies and performance make her a unique and distinctive educator and performer.