Martin Speake


Martin Speake is a British saxophonist. He teaches at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in Greenwich, at the Royal Academy of Music and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Speake has recorded eighteen albums as leader, including Change Of Heart with Paul Motian, Bobo Stenson and Mick Hutton.

Career

Speake studied classical saxophone at Trinity College of Music. He joined sax outfit Itchy Fingers and toured Europe, South America, Africa and the USA. In 1986 the band won the Schlitz Young Jazz Musicians of the Year Award, which also aired on the BBC.
In 2018 Speake appeared at London Jazz Festival at Cadogan Hall with Charukesi, his new project formed to reflect his interest in rhythmic music from around the world drawing from Arabic, Indian and Turkish influences.
Also in 2018, he released Intention on Ubuntu Music, in quartet with Ethan Iverson. The Jazz Mann reviewed the album in April 2018, rating it 3.5 out of 5.
Speake performed a concert at PizzaExpress Jazz Club, London which was subsequently broadcast on BBC Radio 3.
Amongst teaching positions that he holds, Speake is a visiting educator at London's Royal Academy of Music, and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Personal life

Speake LTCL is also a practicing nutritional therapist, and holds a BSc in Nutritional Medicine. He runs a practice in Abbey Wood.

Discography

As leader