CANADA’S The Tea Party frontman Jeff Martin is happy with his reputation for being the loudest acoustic guitarist around.
He revels in his ability to be both “subtle” and “go over the top”.
And he’s promising his new project Revelator (created with mate Mick Skelton from Baby Animals) will be “Led Zeppelin’s Physical Graffiti on stun”.
The performance at Mojo’s will include Tea Party classics and new material from the group’s first album in 10 years, Returning from the Ocean at the End.
Despite a couple of splits and living at opposite ends of the world, the Canadian trio is going strong with the 2014 Australian tour a sell-out, and rave reviews here and in Canada, Martin says.
“[The] best critical acclaim we have ever received…definitely the band is still on fire.”
Martin moved to Australia a few years ago, living for a while across the road from Mojo’s in North Fremantle, above mate (and business partner) Robert Buratti’s gallery.
Now based in northern NSW his studio houses dozens of exotic instruments including a sitar, esraj, harmonium, cumbus and hurdy gurdy, and a 1916 Gibson harp guitar. All of which the musician and music producer plays with ease.
• Jeff Martin. Photo supplied
Martin was a proficient guitarist at 11 and has been labelled a child prodigy and virtuosos guitarist. But with his brooding good looks and Thelematic beliefs he’s also been labelled an occultist.
Thelema is based loosely on ancient Egyptian deities and was established by early 1900s wild child and occultist Aleister Crowley (at one time called the “wickedest man on earth”).
But it’s much maligned religion, Martin says: “It’s not dark. It means knowledge,” he tells the Herald.
The Middle-Eastern, rock and blues influences that attracted fans to TTP continue to to overlay Martin’s music.
And when this tour is over he’s heading to Morocco “for a much needed sabbatical”.
“I need to recalibrate and fill the reserves. The way I do that is to travel to places that have such a heavy influence on my work.”
And he’s taking a group of fans, or anyone wanting an exotic musical odyssey (for a price).
The small band of 25 travellers will be guided around Morocco by day and “spend the evenings in the presence of Jeff’s nightly raw acoustic performance,” the blurb says.
Or if that’s out of your reach, catch him at Mojo’s in North Fremantle, April 26. Tix $44.90.
