Martin Litton
Biography
Martin Litton studied piano at the Colchester Institute, graduating with a BA(Hons) degree. After leaving the Institute he joined Harry Gold's Pieces of Eight. In 1982 he joined Kenny Ball for two years, with whom he toured Russia and the Middle East.
Martin has also worked with many American musicians including Bob Wilbur, Scott Hamilton, George Masso, Peanuts Hucko, Joe Muranyi and Al Casey. He has recorded with Kenny Davern, Wild Bill Davison, Yank Lawson and Mary Grosz.
Martin's work with leading British musicians includes recordings with Humphrey Lyttleton, Wally Fawkes and Digby Fairweather and he has toured Britian and Europe with Keith Smith's Hefty Jazz. Martin is the pianist with Bob Hunt's Duke Ellington Orchestra and with his own eight-piece band, Martin Litton's Red Hot Peppers, playing the music of Jelly Roll Morton.
As a regular performing and recording artist with the Swedish Jazz Kings Martin has also toured Japan and Australia with this band. His first solo CD Martin Litton Jazz Piano was short listed in Jazz Journal's 1994 critics poll and his latest CD Falling Castle was described as 'a gem' by The Jazz Rag.
At present, Martin is working with Pete Long's Bebop Repertory Quintet playing the music of Dizzy Gillespie as well as being the pianist and musical director for a series of CDs featuring Clare Teal. The first of these CDs That's The Way It Is has been highly acclaimed and has regular airplay on Michael Parkinson's Radio 2 programme.