Martin Blockson

Martin Blockson started his musical journey at the age of eight years old. He learned toread music in school bands playing clarinet, and at age 11 he picked up the saxophone while injr. high school. While honing his talents in the school band, he developed a passion for writingsongs and started playing the piano as well.Growing up in a military family and living all over the world exposed Martin to many culturesand music. This played a major role in his musical development as well as the being broughtup in the church. During high school, Martin strengthened his skills by playing in local jazzclubs and various churches in the Tidewater, Va. area. This contributed to Martin receiving ascholarship to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music upon graduation. At Berklee hestudied Jazz composition, commercial song writing, jingle writing, and developed his skills asa record producer. It was at Berklee where he formed a writer's relationship with artist LalahHathaway. His first song placement on Virgin Records was on Lalah’s debut CD entitled StayHome Tonight. Blockson also signed a publishing deal with Warner/ Chapelle Publishing shortlythereafter.In 1993, Martin received a devastating blow when he was diagnosed with a rare bone disorderin his jaw called an ameloblastoma. Even though this rare type of tumor was noncancerous(benign), it had the potential to change and destroy bone around it, so Martin was forced toundergo a radical surgical procedure that involved replacing his entire jawbone with bone fromhis hip to avoid future complications from the disease.Fortunately the surgery was a success. However, it destroyed all the nerves and sensation inand around Martin’s mouth rendering him incapable of playing the instrument he had grown tolove with all his heart, the tenor saxophone. For the next nine and ½ years he would periodicallymake attempts to play to no avail, and grew to accept the fact that his other talents (playing thepiano, singing, writing and producing music) would have to be enough to sustain his passion forexpressing his musical creativity.Then one fateful day he agreed to help a good friend pick out a new saxophone. They traveledto a music store in Richmond, VA, and it was there his long lost gift returned. After severalreluctant and unsuccessful attempts, his friend prayed for restoration of his playing ability andlow and behold Martin felt a warm sensation from head to toe as his lips conformed to themouthpiece of the horn his friend wanted to purchase. Then miraculously, with tears rollingdown his face, the melodic tone that emerged from it on his final attempt sounded as smooth assilk. Somehow by the grace of God he was back playing the instrument he loved, and to this dayhe gives God the glory for returning the gift he thought he’d lost forever.Martin has written, produced, and remixed records for artists such as Philip Bailey of Earth,Wind and Fire, Dale Bozzio, Gerald Levert, Vesta, Men At Large, Skyy, Glen Jones, Surface,En Vogue, Mick Murphy, Ann G., Rayna, Bad Boyz of the Industry, CeCe Rogers, Ten City, InReverence, In Due Season, Byron Stingily... and the list goes on. Today, as his musical journeycontinues, he often performs with a Jazz group and plays every note passionately as if it werehis last. Martin also teaches private music instruction, is still writing and producing records, andproduces music for film and television commercials.