Martha J.
Wedding ceremonies
Religious Christian songs
Traditional church music
Sacred music, ancient and modern
Jazz and musical theatre
Italian traditional songs
Wedding reception entertainment
Live music entertainment for corporate events
Sweet melodic love songs
Recent Venues
Villa Muggia, Stresa - lake Maggiore
Castello Dal Pozzo, lake Maggiore
Grand Hotel Des Iles Borromees, Stresa
Hotel Majestic, Pallanza - lake Maggiore
Villa San Remigio, Verbania Town Hall
Villa Rusconi Clerici, Pallanza - lake Maggiore
Villa Volpi, Ghiffa - lake Maggiore
Hotel San Rocco, Orta San Giulio - lake Orta
Villa Bossi, Orta San Giulio Town Hall - lake Orta
Villa Crespi, Orta San Giulio - lake Orta
Palazzo Penotti Ubertini, Orta S Giulio
Castello di Miasino, lake Orta
Hotel Villa Serbelloni, Bellagio - lake Como
Villa Del Balbianello, lake Como
Hotel Villa D'Este, Cernobbio - lake Como
Villa dei Cipressi, Varenna - lake Como
Villa Monastero, Varenna - lake Como
Hotel Eremo Gaudio, Varenna - lake Como
Hotel Du Lac, Bellagio - lake Como
Castello di Malcesine - lake Garda
Hotel Corte Impero, Bardolino - lake Garda
Martha J.
Italian Wedding Singer
Biography
I started my career in Milan (Italy), playing guitar and singing songs of American artists, such as Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Neil Young and English folk songs such as Pentangle and Fairport Convention.
In 1990 I took part in Sanremo Music Festival (that is the most important festival in Italy dedicated to Italian pop music and is broadcasted worldwide). After that, I recorded 2 CDs (PDU/Emi and RTI Music) and I took part in many radio and TV shows. I gave concerts in Italy and abroad (for example, Italian Celebration, Toronto, Canada).
From 1999, I turned almost exclusively to jazz music and since then I have been playing in jazz clubs, festivals and events in Italy and abroad (Switzerland and Germany), playing with many famous musicians.
In 2004 I won Lifegate Radio Contest and in 2005 I was invited to sing in american saxophinist Carol Sudhalter's new CD: Shades of Carol.
In 2008 I published two CDs dedicated to jazz standards: "That's it" (with Francesco Chebat, piano; Roberto Piccolo, double bass; Stefano Bertoli, drums) and "No one but you" (with Francesco Chebat on piano).
In these years I played in many important jazz festivals (such as Brianza open jazz; Lario Estival Jazz; Saint Bartholomew's Jazz Event; Jazzin' thursdays @ Crystal Hotel, Saint Moritz, Switzerland), for popular events in beautiful scenaries (White turf, Saint Moritz; Saint Moritz Gourmet Festival; opening of the winter season, Ischgl, Austria...) and in many private parties in wonderful locations oll over Italy (Hotel Sirmione, Colombare di Sirmione; Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees, Stresa; Villa Muggia, Stresa; Villa Pizzo, Cernobbio, Como; Castello di Grumello, Bergamo; Corte Rustica Borromeo, Milan ...).
Many important companies chose my music for their business parties: BMW, Toyota, Fiat, Yahoo, Banca Mediolanum and many others.
I had also the pleasure to play for a fashion show of Italian wedding stylist Domo Adami.
As you can see, I have been singing here, there and everywhere for a long time... NOW I HOPE I AM GOING TO SING AT YOUR WEDDING TOO!
Discography
THAT'S IT!
This CD by Martha J., released on April 2008 for Music Center Records, is dedicated to jazz standards. This is a project that comes after almost ten years of live performances, as explained in the booklet: "After all these years of playing standards here and there, I finally made up my mind and recorded some of the songs I like most. I can't help feeling that this CD contains musical elements, suggestions and emotions that I took from all jazz musicians I had the honour to play with in these years. I wish I could have had them all to play with me on this CD... Of course this was impossible, but I always keep them all in my heart. This work represents myself as I am now: that's it! Special thanks to Francesco Chebat, who helped me a lot and made this work possible. I want to thank Roberto Piccolo and Stefano Bertoli, who allowed themselves to get involved and put not only notes but also their enthusiasm in this project. They created a very special rhythm section, playing these old songs with a modern feel. It's been a lot of fun... pota!"
Listen at Cdbaby.com: That's it
NO ONE BUT YOU
Only vocals and piano for this CD by Martha J. and Francesco Chebat.
This project is the result of a long collaboration between Martha J. and Francesco Chebat. These tracks were recorded in the same session as 'That's it!'. The idea was to use some of these songs to complete che CD with the quartet, but in the end they were enough to release another CD, 'No one but you'. 'No one but you' is a song written by Francesco Chebat and Martha J. This work presents a selection of jazz songs (some of them are not often played, like Lush life and Sophisticated lady) and a little tribute to Argentina, 'Gota de lluvia' composed by Felix Lipesker e Homero Manzi.
Listen at Cdbaby.com: No one but you
Rewievs
A Magic Comeback. Great jazz with That’s it and No One but You
Martha J. comes back and strikes twice. Together with her versions of the most famous jazz standards collected in the CD That’s it, Martha J. releases a very moving voice-piano CD. No One But You, with Francesco Chebat on piano, deserves a first class rating, with the song Sophisticated Lady.
Martha J., an explosion of freshness, of vocal skill and great professionalism, together with a talent that no school can teach, in brief, a great, wonderful vocalist. This CD is a real revelation and its excellent level is not accidental, but... stop reading this review and hurry to buy it! Moreover, this CD is recorded much better than most so called audiophile recordings: all instruments are perfectly outlined, with astounding tridimensionality, my compliments to the sound engineer, it makes you want to buy a sound system that is up to the mark!
Martha J. introduces us to the genesis of this work: “After many years of concerts, I decided to go to a studio and record some of the jazz standards I love most. (...) I selected the songs that touch me most and I hope I succeeded in transmitting to listeners the same emotions I feel. The first day I went to the studio with pianist Francesco Chebat. We wanted to do something simple, without slavishly copying the traditional way of playing these songs. First of all, we wanted to transmit emotions, rather than try to stun with vain virtuosities. (...) On the second day the rhythm section arrived: Roberto Piccolo (double bass) and Stefano Bertoli (drums). We scheduled to record 5 or 6 songs, (...) but at 4 o’clock in the afternoon we had recorded 9 songs! Then Francesco and I went listened to all the stuff. We realized that there were so many good things that it was so difficult to choose, and we regretted not including some songs... So we decided to make 2 CDs: one only voice and piano and the other voice, piano, double bass and drums.
A simple and straightforward story that tells how a work of art, or rather two works of art are born: “That’s It!” and “No one but you” (with Martha J., vocals, and Francesco Chebat, piano): there is no doubt that this CD also deserves a first class rating and even the song “Sophisticated Lady” alone makes it worth buying it. (Giuseppe Candiano - TGcom)