By now you've heard about the Martinez Brothers. These guys are practically
the definition of new blood. Steve is 21, Chris is 18. For a little perspective on
the unlikelihood of their position, consider this: Shelter, the club where the
Martinez Brothers learned just about everything they know about house
music, opened its doors the same year that Chris was born. Which makes it
all the more incredible that Shelter was the Martinez Brothers' first major club
gig in 2006.
Music always played a significant role in the Martinez home: the boys grew up
playing a variety of instruments—keyboards, bass, and mainly drums and
percussion. They'd play in church, at home, in various bands around the
Bronx. It was their father, a veteran of disco-era clubs like the Paradise
Garage, that turned them on to disco and house, via radio programs like
Timmy Regisford's Kiss FM show and CDs that he'd bring home in an attempt
to expand the boys' musical worldview.
They played their first gig with Victor Rosado, a veteran NYC DJ who shared
the decks with both Larry Levan and David Mancuso back in the day; their
next appearance was at an Ibadan party at Shelter, alongside Dennis Ferrer
and Jerome Sydenham. And from there they've gone on to rock many more
floors worldwide - Warmup at PS1 MOMA (NYC), Pacha (NYC & Ibiza), Cielo
(NYC), Karu & Y (Miami), Watergate (Berlin), She Club (Barcelona), Bataclan
(Paris), Sasha Beach Club (Algarve, PT), Buddha Club (Porto), BBC (Lisbon),
Red Zone (Perugia, IT), The Powerzone (Amsterdam, NL). (The first time they
left the country, in fact, aside from family trips to Puerto Rico, was to play
Cheers, Paris, the longest running soulful house party in Paris.)
In 2009 they are already booked to play at the festival Electric Daisy Carnival
(Los Angeles), Ministry Of Sound (London), Pacha (Ibiza), Social Club (Paris),
Singapore (Zouk) and will also travel to Miami, Sao Paulo, Rio, Milan, Berlin,
Tokyo, Lisbon, Amsterdam and beyond.
The Martinez Brothers kicked off a new chapter in January, 2007, when
Dennis Ferrer's Objektivity label released "My Rendition," a powerhouse of a
record that won them a whole new world of acclaim.
They have gone on to produce their ironically named followup “Debbie
Downer” out in January 2009 with Berlin based Greek producer Argy and
“Where’s Mr. Brown?” a hissing, techno track. Both sides have gained much
acclaim from DJ’s such as Josh Wink, Dubfire (Deep Dish), Loco Dice and
Sebo K.
What sets apart the Martinez Brothers is their sense of flow. Watch them
behind the decks: they don't stop moving. Lean, lanky, all wrists and elbows
and ear-to-ear grins, these kids look like they were born to move. They're
practically climbing over each other as records flow together, one brother
cueing up a track, the other EQing, the headphones passed back and forth,
forearms intertwined, heads bobbing in unison. It's amazing to watch. It's even
more amazing to hear.