The Armada - The Progression of Jeff Martin

Anyone familiar with alternative music in Canada in the 90’s should know the name of Jeff Martin and his band, Tea Party. Their eclectic synthesis of Middle Eastern rhythms and western rock riffs set them apart from their contemporaries. They took modern rock to a whole new esoteric level.

But eventually, the time came when the band members grew in different directions, which of course led to their ultimate dissolution.

From the ashes of the Tea Party, the phoenix of Jeff Martin began to rise. Initially, he took time for his family, taking them to locations in Ireland and Australia as he continued pursuing his music. In the spring of 2006, he released a solo album entitled “Exile and the Kingdom” on his own label, Nevada. It didn’t break sales records, but it was the first step in his progression to The Armada. It was also something to appease the fans desperately seeking results of his post-Tea Party noodlings.

The success of the Tea Party in Australia gave Jeff the impetus to leave the harsh Canadian winters behind for the more welcoming temperate climate down under. There, he was free to compose and perform without the pressure of a big label contradicting his musical direction. Between the outback and the big cities, it was a landscape conducive to creativity. It wasn’t Ireland or Canada, but he embraced it as his new home.

Throughout his cross-country travels, he met many musicians who were sensitive to his musical visions and philosophies. After eventually joining up with Wayne Sheehey (former percussionist for 80’s alternative band Cactus World News, as well as Ronnie Wood and Bo Diddley), and Jay Cortez (bassist from Aussie band Sleepy Jackson), Jeff finally had the genesis of his new project, The Armada.

Gigging around Australia, they have built a loyal following. Since the band do not have the luxury of producing an expensive label-backed video, it appears they have let a live video performance speak for itself. This, of course, is available on their website. You’ll also find a number of fan videos on YouTube as well.

Since The Armada calls Australia home, hometown Canadian fans may be feeling somewhat shutout perhaps. So allow me to offer up a few links and sounds.

Two days ago, Jeff and the boys were interviewed on ABC Radio in Australia, broadcast from the studio in Newcastle, New South Wales. (The link to that interview is at The Armada Official Website). I have taken the liberty of extracting their live acoustic performance of the song “Morocco” from that interview for you to enjoy on it’s own. I know how much some people want to cut through the extraneous interview bits just to hear the music. So here you go….

mp3: The Armada - Morocco (live acoustic - ABC Radio Australia 11/11/09)

The Armada MySpace Page

The Armada Wikipedia Page

Buy CD at CD Baby