<p>Martin Budde is a guitarist and composer/educator based in Seattle, WA. Growing up playing with family from a young age, he is partially self-taught and owes much of his musical development to his family, friends, and mentors such as bassists Chuck Deardorf and Marshall Hawkins. Martin has established himself over time as a first call guitarist and composer in the Seattle area and on the West Coast where he performs regularly in a variety of groups. He co-founded the Seattle/New York-based contemporary jazz group Meridian Odyssey whose first release, Second Wave, was voted as one of the top 15 Seattle records of 2020 by The Seattle Times, and whose second full length album, Earthshine, was awarded the 2022 Golden Ear Award for NW Recording of the Year by Earshot Jazz. He was also independently nominated for emerging artist of the year by Earshot Jazz. Martin's music is energetic, dynamic, and grounded, with a strong melodic voice that speaks to undercurrents of American music as a whole, and at the same time seeks to dive into unknowns.</p>