Paul San Martín

Blues
Boogie Woogie
& Jazz Piano

Born in San Sebastian (1979). Paul has a bachelor's degree in Jazz piano, and his great passion has been Blues, ever since he began with the classical piano at the age of twelve. His first contact with Blues was through the groups of Rhythm & British Blues of the 60s. Playing live since the age of 15, he is currently immersed in the tradition of the Blues piano styles, such as Stride or Boogie Woogie. In 2011, his first solo work, 'Tracks', on piano and voice, on the label Gaztelupeko Hotsak Recording, came to light. Standing out among his influences are, among others, Alan Price, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roosevelt Sykes, Memphis Slim, Otis Spann, Sunnyland Slim, Dr John, Professor Longhair and James Booker. 

Along with his group Stay Blues, he took part in various Blues festivals and participated, for five consecutive years, in the Jazz festival in San Sebastian. In the summer of 2007, the band released their first album.


Over the course of his already wide-ranging career, Paul San Martin has collaborated with artists of great relevance, among whom are the likes of, Nico Wayne Toussaint, Lluís Coloma, Mingo Balaguer, Ñaco Goñi, Slam Allen, Sax Gordon, Tia Carroll, Chris Ruest and the legendary Blues legend, Billy Boy Arnold. In 2013, Paul, once again, recorded, his latest work on piano and voice, 'Paul's Mood', a new pianistic venture into the different styles of the Blues. His last album 'A French Session' (2019), has been recorded in France with international musicians.

Playlist

  • Paul San Martín Meets The Broken Horns

    Recording: 2022

    • Dreaming Of My Baby Tonight / 0:00

  • A French Session
    Paul San Martin, Abdell B.Bop & Romain Gratalon

    Recording: 2019

    • What Can I Do / 0:00
    Comprar

  • Single
    Paul San Martín & Romain Gratalon

    Recording: 2016

    • San Martin Boogie / 0:00
    Comprar

  • Paul's Mood

    Recording: 2013

    • Down The Road A Piece / 0:00
    • Paul's Mood / 0:00
    Comprar

  • Tracks

    Recording: 2011

    • 44 Blues / 0:00
    • What's The Matter / 0:00
    Comprar

  • Stay Blues

    Recording: 2007

    • Cow Cow Boogie / 0:00
    Comprar

Own discography

  • Paul San Martín Meets The Broken Horns

    2022

    Recorded at Elkar studios in San Sebastian by Victor Sanchez, pianist's fifth record keep the same high-quality standards with which he already offered in his previous records (Tracks, Paul's Moods, A French Session...). Abdell B. Bop on double bass and Romain Gratalon on drums usual contribution joined by The Broken Horns, a brass section made up by Ion Celestino on trumpet, Pablo Maza on tenor sax, Javier Jaukikoa on trombone.  An EP in witch Paul San Martin artistic personality synthesizes in three songs matched by rest of the band. From Dreaming Of My Baby Tonight as side A, an own composition in New Orleans purest tradition where it is worth mentioning both The Broken Horns work and San Martin's extraordinary vocal performance. Side B opens with the standard Someday (You'll Want Me), written by Louisiana musician and composer Smiley Lewis, and ends up with Lost Without You a cover originally written by piano Blues reference, Memphis Slim.  

  • A French Session
    Paul San Martin, Abdell B.Bop & Romain Gratalon

    2019

    Different circumstances and events have led to a representative portion of my musical life transcurring in France. It has been quite a while since Nico Wayne Toussaint first invited me to play with him at La Luna Negra in Bayona. Since then, the forays are too numerous to tell. In 2013 I met the drummer Romain Gratalon, with whom I worked as a duet for a long time until the opportunity to play at the emblematic Caveau de la Huchette in Paris called for the incorporation of a double bass. I immediately thought of Abdell B.Bop, with whom I had already played and who has played for the likes of Lynwood Slim, R.J Mischo, The Cashbox Kings, Joel Patterson, Rod Piazza or Sean Costello, to name but a few. And that’s what led me to thinking of doing an album forming a trio with Romain and Abdell, recorded in 2 flying visits to Abdell’s house, where he has his studio, Big Spoon Records. The takes were respected from start to finish without editing, capturing the feeling of the moment. On starting the first day, one of the hammers in the piano broke and we had to wait until the following day for it to be repaired. Even so, we had to make the most of that day and record what wecould – without that hammer !... All very Cassavettes. The great sax player, Tejerizo Sylvain blew the hot stuff we needed into 2 tracks and Chris Ruest, one of the top guitar players in Austin, transmuted into Earl Hooker on ‘This little voice’. The result is a ‘live’ record, true to the bone. A true reflection of those endless nights at the Caveau de la Huchette.

  • Single
    Paul San Martín & Romain Gratalon

    2016

    In 2011, while touring with the great French harp player, Nico Wayne Toussaint, Paul San Martin met drummer Romain Gratalon (Dax, France, 1989). They immediately hit it off and decided to create a duet inspired by Memphis Slim and Michel Denis. Over the last few years they have performed numerous concerts in France and in Spain. 

  • Paul's Mood

    2013

    Paul San Martin makes use of Blues, Boogie Woogie, Jazz themes composed and/or performed by artists/authors such as Jelly Roll Morton, Memphis Slim, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bill Evans: a list of first-rate musicians. The bottom line in a record of this kind is not only the skill of the musician (he play the piano very well and his singing is evocative) but also the ability to leave his personal stamp on the tracks, and give the recording a conceptual sense of unit assembly, something which is achieved from beginning to end.

  • Tracks

    2011

    First solo work conceived in a piano-blues style, which includes 12 compositions, interspersing instrumental pieces with songs. Eleven of them are Blues, Boogie Woogie, Gospel or Jazz classics composed during the first half of the twentieth century. The recording opens with "44 Blues", chosen by San Martin as his favorite of this work, and It also includes the original composition "Oihana".

  • Stay Blues

    2007

    Founded by Alvaro Fdez Gaviria (harmonica) and Paul San Martin (piano and vocals), Stay Blues was musically active for over 10 years, recreating the tradition of blues in the countless gigs performed in small honky-tonks as well as in the various festivals held in and around the Basque Country. Soon afterwards, they were joined by Fernando "Lucho" Neira and more recently by Karlos Aranzegi (drums). Their long-awaited debut album was released in the summer of 2007.

Colaborations

  • Arima Soul
    Album

    2022

  • Mojo Hand
    So Long...

    2022

  • Mingo Balaguer
    Blue Shadow

    2020

  • Arima Soul
    Single

    2021

  • Rafael Berrio
    EP

    2020

  • Rafael Berrio
    Niño Futuro

    2019

  • Mojo Hand

    2019

  • Velma Powell & Bluedays
    Blues To The Bone

    2018

  • Verteramo Trio
    #EuropaBluesTour

    2018

  • Billy Prince
    Live!

    2017

  • Blues Train

    2017

  • Javi Fermín
    Soy un Antiguo

    2015

  • Triz3ps
    Buenas Nuevas

    2014

  • The Romanticos
    My Time

    2012

Vídeos

  • Roll 'em Pete

  • I Can't Sleep

  • "I Just Called" (Aaron Moore)