Terrace Martin Turns Campbell Hall Into a Family Jazz Party

Terrace Martin brought his groove-machined jazz party to Campbell Hall last Friday night, and nobody left a stranger. The saxophonist-bandleader, rare on the road but touring behind a new album by his band Dinner Party, titled "Whatchu' Bringing," delivered a set that balanced party vibe with a genuine musical mission.

Stylistically, the show sat comfortably in Santa Barbara's recent jazz lineage — near Robert Hurst's Lobero show last year and Kamasi Washington's Campbell Hall appearance in 2017. Washington and Martin's paths have crossed often, from early days through Dinner Party itself.

Who is Terrace Martin?

Martin's pedigree explains the reach. He is the son of jazz drummer Curly Martin, grew up in Los Angeles's Crenshaw District, and cut his teeth at Billy Higgins's World Stage in Leimert Park — both of which he name-checked from the stage. He also heads a label, Sounds of Crenshaw.

From there he played with Washington and that zone's cohorts, Kendrick Lamar, and jazz legend Herbie Hancock, who functions as something of a guru for him. Late in the concert, Martin repeated a favorite Hancock quote: "You can find beauty within every problem." His genre-hopping résumé as player and producer even led to gigs with Snoop Dogg — one of them at the Santa Barbara Bowl.

What did the set sound like?

The show opened with an anomaly. Martin laid out an abstract, improvisational soundscape on his synth, in contrast to the straighter dynamics to come. Then he and the band folded into the groove imperative on a Hancock tune, followed by Lamar's "meet the grahams."

The company onstage was formidable: drummer Garrison Brown, powerful but never overstated; keyboardist Chad Selph; and, on keys and soulful vocals, frequent collaborator Phoelix (a k a Michael E. Neil).

The band then shifted into a more comfortable avenue — chill R&B — with "Sleepless Nights" and "Breathe." Their R&B runs along ear-friendly, heart-friendly lines, angled toward positivity. Martin himself is a positivity dispenser, with an easy stage-side manner and free interaction with the crowd.

When did the audience join the band?

Late in the show, during a tribute to the late Donny Hathaway, Martin dropped into the audience and cooked up call-and-response, picking out a couple of "lucky" soloists on the spot. After one volunteer did their level best, he declared: "today, your major is jazz vocal."

He then picked on another guest vocalist — his sister — who gave some heat to Bobby Caldwell's smooth jazz classic "What You Won't Do for Love." By that point, the review notes, it felt like everyone in Campbell Hall was family for a couple of hours.

Jazz comes in many flavors, cerebral or celebratory. This one embedded an essence of feel-good in the grooves — a verdict that suggests Martin's road trip behind "Whatchu' Bringing" is worth catching wherever it lands next.