“He commands technical facility as a bass trombonist…executes the material on both discs with conviction…his attack is agile and his sound robust…”
A third-generation musician, Martin McCain’s career spans an impressive range of musical genres. As an ambassador of the bass trombone, Martin maintains a versatile performance schedule as a soloist, recording artist, chamber, orchestral, jazz/commercial musician and educator. He has been nominated for a Grammy and was featured in the Billboard magazine as an “Emerging Artist”, with performances described as "solid and masterful," (International Trombone Association Journal) with a “warm and beautiful,” tone (Glissando Magazine).
McCain’s performances include concerts at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl, Croatian National Theatre, Blue Note Tokyo, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and others. His performances have been broadcast on CNN, Radio Television Hong Kong and NPR's "Performance Today”.
As a recording artist, Martin has released four CDs, Renew (2021), Trombone Czar: The Extended Version (2015), Shades (2014), and Trombone Czar: Russian Treasures Recorded Live! (2012). He can be heard on RCA Records, Motown Records, Atlantic Records, Summit Records and numerous film and video game soundtracks. As a soloist, Martin has performed with the Croatian Army Wind Band, United States Army Concert Band "Pershing's Own", the United States Army Brass Quintet, Laredo Philharmonic Orchestra, Kingsville Symphony Orchestra and the Balcones Chamber Orchestra.
McCain is a member of the Legendary Count Basie Orchestra and has been invited to perform with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Glenn Miller Orchestra and Frank Sinatra Jr. Orchestra. In addition to being the leader of the award-winning Austin based jazz trombone ensemble, JazzBonez, he is the trombonist for the Orpheum Theatre (Memphis) and has performed for several Broadway touring shows including recent tours of MJ, the Musical, Mrs. Doubtfire, Company, and Funny Girl. Martin has collaborated with a number of illustrious artists such as Earth Wind and Fire, Roberta Flack, Bel Biv Devoe, Jon Batiste, Chaka Khan, Bruno Mars, Ne-Yo, Robert Glasper, The Roots, Lenny Williams, the Temptations and the Four Tops. He can be heard on numerous R&B albums with Memphis’ Royal Studio Horns.
As an orchestral musician, McCain is a member of the IRIS Collective, Victoria Bach Festival Orchestra, Gateways Festival Orchestra and regularly performs with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. He has been invited to be guest bass trombone with major ensembles including the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Houston Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Utah Symhony Orchestra, and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, among others. As a chamber musician, Martin is an associate artist with the Rodney Marsalis Philadelphia Big Brass, a founding member of the Minor 4th Trombone Quartet and regularly performs with his wife, pianist Artina McCain as the McCain Duo.
In 2023, Dr. McCain returned to his hometown to join the faculty as Professor of Trombone at the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. He was previously taught at Texas State University, Henderson State University and Huston-Tillotson University. Dr. McCain’s students have been extremely successful in international and national solo and ensemble competitions and are regular winners of university concerto competitions. In recognition of his teaching, Martin received the College Achievement Award in Teaching and the Presidential Distinction Award for Excellence in in both Teaching and Scholarly/Creative Activity categories. His students have been accepted into some of the nation's most prestigious graduate programs such as the Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, Northwestern University, Manhattan School of Music and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and have careers as performers and educators from K-12 to the university level. In addition to his university teaching duties, Martin has spent summers on the faculty of the Sewanee Summer Music Festival, Interharmony International Music Festival (Italy), the SliderAsia Music Festival (Hong Kong) and the English Brass Academy (Croatia).
McCain earned his Bachelor of Music degree with a business minor at the University of Southern Mississippi, in addition to a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Martin McCain is a performing artist for S.E. Shires and plays on the "McCain" signature mouthpiece series manufactured by Pickett Brass. In his spare time, Martin is an avid BBQ pitmaster and sports enthusiast.
This biography is to be produced without any changes, omissions or additions unless particularly authorized by the artist's management. Various bios can be downloaded HERE.