Jeff Martin
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Jeffrey Scott Martin, born October 2, 1969, is a Canadian guitarist and singer best known for fronting the rock band The Tea Party. Martin grew up in Windsor, Ontario, began playing guitar as a child, and in his adolescence played in bands The Shadows, Modern Movement, and The Stickmen. In 1988, Jeff graduated from Sandwich Secondary School along with future Tea Party bandmates Jeff Burrows and Stuart Chatwood. He went on to study music at the University of Windsor before leaving his studies prematurely due to philosophical differences with his music professor. His father was a Blues musician who encouraged him to play when his natural aptitude for guitar became apparent soon after taking up the instrument at around the age of 7, and he listened to "Albert King, Freddy King, Robert Johnson…all of the greats."
Martin has perfect pitch, as highlighted on "The Science of a Rock Concert," an episode of Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada. He also has synesthesia, which influences his approach to music and creativity. Forming The Tea Party in 1990 after a marathon jam session at the Cherry Beach Rehearsal Studios in Toronto, Martin produced all of The Tea Party's albums. Martin was the youngest producer at EMI who was on staff at that time. With a career spanning over 30 years and 8 major-label releases, The Tea Party have successfully gained the attention of fans on a worldwide level, touring countless times throughout Canada, the United States, Europe, and Australia.
He began his career as a solo artist in 2005 when The Tea Party went on hiatus. Martin's debut solo album titled "Exile and the Kingdom" was released in Canada and Australia in 2006. In early 2008, Martin and Sheehy formed The Armada, and the band's debut album was released on November 4, 2008. In 2010, Martin began work on new music with Jay Cortez and Malcolm Clark for a new album under the new band name of Jeff Martin 777. During a 2011 tour, Martin announced a reunion of The Tea Party for some Canadian shows in July and August, and following the success of those shows, The Tea Party announced the reunion was permanent. Jeff is a permanent resident of Australia since 2008 and lives on the sunshine coast with his wife, Melissa.