Although Will Martin is an accomplished trombonist, he refuses to stereotype himself as one. “I’m not caught up in the whole ‘Trombone Thing’ – the latest licks, the latest gear,” he explains. “Communicating with an audience is what we jazz musicians need to be thinking about, not playing to practice chord changes. So I don’t think of this as a ‘Trombone Record.’ It’s a jazz record that happens to be led by a trombonist.” East Coast- trained, now living in Seattle, Martin’s style melds jazz, salsa, classical and rock, with his jazz playing influenced by such masters as the Stan Kenton trombone sections, Carl Fontana, Kai Winding, Kent Larson, J. J. Johnson, Stan Getz and Joe Pass. Regardless of style, says Martin, “there are certain characteristics I look for in any music – a strong, lyrical melody and a nice, well-oiled groove.” For Morning, Martin assembled a group of New York musicians representing the best the jazz world has to offer. Although it’s a polished studio recording, many of the tunes are first-takes, infusing them with the energy of a live performance. Four of the songs are originals. “Free Time” and “NY Sidewalk” have relatively long forms, allowing them room to tell their story. “Free Time” tries to capture the feeling of a mid-afternoon lazy walk. “Morning” is all about groove, written in a city park a few years ago. It’s primarily blues, with rhythmic twists. In arranging the standards Martin has kept the melody strong and uses the whole group rhythmically. “Caravan” starts with a New Orleans-shuffle-meets-montuno groove and goes from there. “Impressions” is all about good old straight-ahead burning, with a shout section thrown in. The lyrics of “Where Do You Start?” speak of the disorientation and emptiness caused by a breakup. But the resolution, the calm after the storm, is what comes through. The lyrics of “Body and Soul” don’t leave a lot of room for an upbeat interpretation, but the melody does, making an interesting juxtaposition. Despite the extremely high level of musicianship, Morning is not about technical achievements: it’s about connecting with the listener. This recording has a soul. Consistently strong melodies and well-conceived arrangements keep the listener engaged. From the quietest whisper of a soft ballad to the most exhilarating shout of a swinging out-chorus, this CD has it all. Here's what some in the jazz media have had to say: “Will Martin plays his tail off!!!! He’s special.” Dick LaPalm, legendary Los Angeles jazz promoter. “From every consideration, (“Morning” is) a very good jazz album.” George Fendel, KHMD-FM 89.1, Portland, Oregon, and Portland Jazz Society. “Will Martin is without doubt one of the best of the new artists that I have listened to in a long time.” Bruce Tater, KETR-FM 88.9, Commerce, Texas. “Morning” hit #21 nationally on the JazzWeek radio chart in and spent three months in the top 40.