Tyler Martin was born in Long Beach, CA to a family steeped in music. He began his career at a young age, performing on his plastic saxophone for family members and friends. Tyler moved along to clarinet and later baritone sax throughout his schooling and graduated from Mission Viejo High School after obtaining top performance honors at the high school level, as well as honors for leadership and solo performance. After high school, an education plan in music and civil engineering led him to the city of Arcata in Humboldt County, CA in 2009.
His performance career in Arcata began to take off with a local samba troupe called SambAmore, and he quickly took the local scene by storm. After joining Arcata funk powerhouse Motherlode and creating his own band Meskalito in 2013, the next several years became a whirlwind of performances, special guest spots, and deep jams. Tyler has toured with Alma Afrobeat Ensemble, Lovebush, DJ Logic, Bill Summers of Herbie Hancock, Fred Wesley of James Brown, and his own father Scott Martin, among many others. In addition, Tyler has recorded on seven studio albums to date, with several more in the works.
In 2016, Tyler joined Diggin Dirt in Humboldt County, CA and began an extensive touring and recording career with the band. After recording two albums and spending 2017 and 2018 ripping up and down the West Coast, the band extended its reach to Alaska and has just gone into the studio for a new album slated for early 2019. Having won the Sierra Nevada Music Festival band competition in 2018, the band has planned a busy 2019 that threatens to take them nationwide as their popularity explodes.
Tyler’s compositions have been featured on several albums and have been performed live to great acclaim. He currently resides in Arcata, CA, and calls the entire West Coast his home. Tyler has performed on stage alongside such acts as WAR, Orgone, Yak Attack, Scott Pemberton, Five Alarm Funk, the Brothers Gow, and many others.
You can contact Tyler at: [email protected]
Tyler currently plays and loves his Dakota Baritone model SDB-XR 62.
