About this episode
Kirk sits down with jazz piano legend Peter Martin to talk about Peter's musical background, his momentous early encounters with Wynton Marsalis and Kenny Kirkland, the jazz scene of the 1990s, how the Suzuki method works, and why jazz students today should be less shy about talking to their heroes. Check out Peter's online jazz education program Open Studio , as well as You'll Hear It , the music podcast he co-hosts with Adam Maness. DISCUSSED/REFERENCED: “Variations Sur ‘Le Carnaval de Venise” feat. Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble from Carnival , 1987 “Path Adjacent” Peter Martin w/ Gregory Hutchinson, Sarah Hanahan & Reuben Rogers from Generation S , 2023 “Bag’s Groove” by Milt Jackson from Miles Davis, Bag’s Groove , 1967 “Tea For Two” by Youmans/Ceasar, played by Art Tatum from Piano Starts Here , 1968 “Broad Way Blues” by Ornette Coleman from New York Is Now , 1968 “Swingin’ at the Haven” by Branford Marsalis from Royal Garden Blues , 1986 “Now’s The Time/Billie’s Bounce” by Charlie Parker from Jamey Aebersold Vol. 6: All Bird “Naima’s Love Song” by Betty Carter from I_t’s Not About The Melody_, 1992 “Mental Phrasing” by Roy Hargrove live w/ Joshua Redman, Ron Blake, Peter Martin, Rodney Whitaker, Greg Hutchinson “Turnaround” by Joshua Redman w/ Pat Metheny from Wish , 1993 “Jig-A-Jug” by Joshua Redman and “St. Thomas” by Sonny Rollins” from Spirit of the Moment: Live at the Village Vanguard, 1995 “Cat Battles” and “One Shining Soul” by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove , 1996 “The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner” intro and “Mind and Body” from Solo, Live in New York , 2015 “Why Approach Chords Matter” - Adam Maness for Open Studio on YouTube , 2025 “2 Down & 2 Across,” “Sing a Song of Song,” “Before It’s Time to Say Goodbye” by Kenny Garrett feat. Kenny Kirkland from Songbook , 1997 “Phyrzzinian Man” by Wynton Marsalis from Black Codes from the Underground , 1985 “Necessary Evil” by Elvin Jones and “Whatever Possessed Me” by Chet Baker feat. Pat LaBarbera (Tenor) and Kenny Kirkland from Brother John , 1982 “Stella by Starlight” by Hoagy Carmichael, performed by the Miles Davis Quintet on My Funny Valentine: In Concert, 1965 ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGE strongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCH strongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER newsletter.kirkhamilton.com 📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com 💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord 🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music 🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS kirkhamilton.com/gear 🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC kirkhamilton.com/music 🎨 SHOW ART Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics -------------------- NOVEMBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Andy Ben Barron Catherine Warner Cesar Christopher McConnell Christopher Miller Corpus Frisky Damon White Daniel Hannon-Barry Dave Florey David Mascetti Elizabeth Culver Greg Jamie White Jay Swartz Jenness Gardner Jeremy Dawson Joe Laska Julie Rowe Ken Hirsh Lisa Crotty Melanie Andrich Melissa Lucas Nathaniel Bauernfeind Paul Delaney Rich Fish Rick Keeler Robyn Metcalfe Rush Sami Samhuri Thomas McIlheran NOVEMBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Aaron Cain Aaron Wade Abbie Berg Abraham Benrubi Achint Srivastava Adam Clark Adam Stofsky Adam W Ailie Fraser AJ Schuster Alan Kress Alan Maass Alex Alex Miller Alexander Alexander Polson Alison Dugan Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Fair Andrew Hofer Andrew Knutson Angela Livingstone Anthony Mentz Arjun Sharma Aruni Jayatilleke Ashley Bea Ben Stein Bernard Khoo Betsy Barre Bill Thornton Bonnie Prinsen Brad Callahan Brendan McLeod Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brian Rinckenberger Brian John Peter Bruno Gaeta Carlos Lerner Caro Field Catherine Clause cbalmain Charles McGee Cheryl Wilke Chris K Christian Hessmann Christopher Selby Spink Clare Holberton Claudia Carty Clint McElroy Colin Hodo Dallas Hockley Dan Cutter Dani Daniel Kaberon Daniel Markoff Daniel Nervo Dave Douglass Dave Kolas dave malloy Dave Sharpe David David Futter David Joske David Noah Deebs Dent Earl Dermot Crowley Dhu Wik Diane Hughes Diane Turner Dick Morgan Donald Mackie Doreen Carlson Doug Belew Douglas H Frazer Dr Arthur A Gray Dubmarine E Margaret Warton Edward Steen Eoin de Burca Eric Helm Eric Prestemon eric sp Eric Stone Erik Ethan Bauman Ethan Laser Freddy Freeman Gary Pierce Gavin Doig Geraldine Butler Glenn Jackson Grettir Asmundarson Heather J Henry Mindlin HiddenJester Ian Karmel Ian Pidd Inmar Givoni irritable James James James Johnson James McMurry Jamie Janice Berry Jason Pratt Jeff Jeff Ulm Jeffrey Bean Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jez Jim Sellers Joe Gallo John Berry John Domina john halpin Jonathan Daniels Jordan Gatenby Joseph Romero Josh Singer Joshua Hill JRRJ Julie Kellman Justin McElroy Karma Jay Kaya Woodall Kayla Russell Kellen Steffen Kelli Brockington KenIsWearingAHat Kenneth Jung Kevin Marcelo Kevin Potter Kevin Stafford Kym Griffith Lauren Knotts Lauren Reay Lawrence Lee R. LG Linda Duffy Lisa Turner Lottie Aron Luigi Boccia M Shane Borders Maddie S Margaret McReynolds Martín Salías Mathias Schmidt Matt Baxter Matt Betzel Matthew Jones Max max barnes Melanie Stivers Melissa Kuhns Melmaniac Merv Adrian Meryl Allison Michael Michael Berman Michael Casner Michael Martin Michael Singer mino capossela Misty Haisfield mjs Monica St. Angelo Mordok’s Vape Pen Naomi Nathan Gouwens Nell Morse Ol Parker Pascal Rueger Paul Bigelman Paul Wayper Peter Harding PhantomMare Philip Kelly Portland Eye Care Princess of Whales R J Helow Rachel Rand LeShay Randy Souza Richard Sneddon Richard Toller Rishi Sahay Rob Tsuk Robert Granat RsP Ryan Rairigh Sarah Vetters Sean Murphy Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble Simon Hellman STEPHEN Stephen Tsoneff Stephen Wolkwitz Steve B Steve Martino Steve Paquin Stu Baker Suzanne Crawford Sy Jacobs Tanner Morton TB The Daily Solve with Chris Remo Thomas Tim Rosenwong Tim Sheehan Tom Coleman Tucker Ped Wendy Gilchrist Wiggy Hash Zach Putnam Zak Remer ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | One-Time Donation 🏠 HOMEPAGE 👚 MERCH 💬 DISCORD SERVER 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER 🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS 🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC 📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram | Bluesky 🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music 🎨 SHOW ART: Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics