“...one of the most interesting and rewarding alto saxophonists now playing jazz on any continent.”

Jazz Times

“Speake is a strikingly talented improviser with a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration.”

Encyclopedia of Popular Music

"...bracing and eloquent."

The Guardian

"Martin Speake's alto saxophone tone is such a beautiful thing in itself, pure and limpid."

The Observer

"...the last decade has seen him grow into a musician of genuinely significant proportions."

Jazz Journal

This unusual trio of alto saxophone, guitar (Mike Outram) and drums (Jeff Williams) brings together all of Martin’s musical influences alongside his favourite musical partners. The three musicians are committed to improvising in the moment.

Meditative ballads, trance like grooves, free improvisation, minimalism, jazz standard songs, Arabic influenced music, heavy metal guitar, unaccompanied solos from each player and more are featured in this unique and intimate trio.

Recently showcased during London Jazz Festival at Cadogan Hall, Charukesi is a newly formed project - a pared-down version of Martin Speake’s previous 7-piece group ‘Fever Pitch’. Charukesi was formed to reflect Martin’s interest in rhythmic music from around the world including Arabic, Indian and Turkish influences. In Martin’s words, “I felt I wanted to play music that is very immediate for audiences and is simple harmonically, groove based and the improvising consists of primarily melodic and rhythmic development rather than based on chord changes.” Featuring Mike de Souza on guitar; Will Glaser on drums and Alyson Cawley on tenor sax and clarinet - all young luminaries in their own right.

About Martin Speake

Citing Lee Konitz, Charlie Parker, Warne Marsh, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Ornette Coleman, Steve ​Coleman, Rabi Abou Khalil, and Paul Motian as major influences, Martin Speake has developed a personal musical voice that expresses a deep understanding of the history and language of jazz with ​individuality as an improviser that is intelligent, melodic, cool, complex, direct, beautiful and ​profound.

Martin studied classical saxophone at Trinity College of Music. At that time there were no jazz courses in London, but he met some future jazz musicians at the college, including pianist Simon Purcell, saxophonist Mark Lockheart and the members of saxophone quartet Itchy Fingers who were studying at the Royal Academy of Music. He toured Europe, South America, Africa and the USA with Itchy Fingers appearing at major jazz festivals and playing on their first two CDs Quark (Virgin Records) and Teranga (Venture). In 1986 they won the Schlitz Young Jazz Musicians of the Year Award, which was televised by the BBC.

In 1988, Martin left the group to develop his own projects, which have been many and diverse, and establish himself as a composer and improviser. Martin is as comfortable playing personal interpretations of the music of Charlie Parker with his quartet, free improvising with drummer Mark Sanders, playing standard ballads in duet with Ethan Iverson and Indian music with Dharambir Singh and Sarvar Sabri.

Martin has recorded 23 cds under his own name of diverse projects including the internationally acclaimed ECM release Change Of Heart with Paul Motian, Bobo Stenson and Mick Hutton and Intention (Ubuntu Records) - listed in Marlbank's Top 10 Albums - in 2018 with Ethan Iverson, Fred Thomas and James Maddren.

He started his own record label Pumpkin in 2007 and has released 10 cds to date. SPARK is an improvised duo with drummer/percussionist Mark Sanders, TWO NOT ONE a duo with guitarist Colin Oxley playing standard songs. Two albums with Barry Green, Dave Green and Jeff Williams entitled GENERATIONS and LIVE AT RIVERHOUSE. ALWAYS A FIRST TIME featuring Mike Outram and Jeff Williams in 2013 and in 2014 SOUND CLOUDS with improvising classical pianist Douglas Finch and THE QUIET MIND with Mark Sanders and Oren Marshall. Recent releases are ZEPHYR with violinist, violist, singer Faith Brackenbury, DUOS FOR TRIO - MUSIC OF BELA BARTOK with Matthew Forbes and Phelan Burgoyne. UNQUIET QUIET with Phelan Burgoyne’s trio with Martin and Rob Luft.




Martin has also performed with Paul Motian, Bobo Stenson, Loose Tubes, Stan Tracey, Bhavani Shankar, Billy Jenkins, Django Bates, Bob Wilber, Conrad Herwig, Don Weller, Ronan Guilfoyle, Alison Bentley, The Style Council, Ann Pigalle, Kadam, saxophonist John Williams, Airto Moreira and Flora Purim, Jim Mullen, Dave Cliff, Julian Arguelles, Ephie Resnick and the Royal Shakespeare Company among others.

He is lead alto saxophonist in the London Jazz Orchestra conducted by Scott Stroman and has formed THELONIOUS to study and learn all the compositions of Thelonious Monk with valve trombonist/pianist Hans Koller, bassist Calum Gourlay and James Maddren. His main creative outlets are a trio with guitarist Mike Outram and US drummer Jeff Williams performing original music and Charukesi with tenor saxophonist Alyson Cawley, guitarist Mike De Souza and drummer Will Glaser playing Indian/Arabic/Turkish inspired groove music
Martin is a committed jazz educator and in addition to Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance he teaches at the Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Youth Jazz Collective Summer School. He was external examiner at Birmingham Conservatoire for several years and also taught at Middlesex University.

He is involved in a British Jazz Oral History project of his own and has interviewed a number of important musicians such as Kenny Wheeler, Geoff Simkins, Dave Cliff, Pete Saberton and many others. These interviews can be read on his website at www.martinspeake.com

Martin has a BSc in Nutritional Medicine and has his own practice for clients who want to improve their health through diet and lifestyle changes.