In 2020, Saxophonist, Singer, and Songwriter, James Martin decided to breathe brand new life into a 2019 track.

Last year Martin released the album Keep Movin, which debuted at #9 on the Billboard Contemporary charts and is currently garnering some Grammy nom buzz (Best American Roots Song for the track “Rectify,” Best Jazz Vocal Album, and Best Jazz Solo for both himself and pianist Oscar Rossignoli.) To Martin, the “Rectify” song is about “letting your love shine through the clouds” and how “now is the perfect time to rectify.” The message this year seemed to mean more than ever and so the musician decided to give the song a visual component.

“I was putting some feelers out around town to see who could help direct and produce my first music video as a solo artist. Trombonist Big Sam, by way of a friend of mine Chef James Cullen, informed me that Tom [Drummond, original member and bassist of Better Than Ezra] was doing film and looking to get into making music videos. This is actually his directorial debut. I was a fan of Better Than Ezra in the mid 90s; their album ‘Deluxe’ was one of my first CDs so I felt like this was an opportunity I didn’t want to pass up,” says Martin.

Drummond currently works as a location scout on NCIS, a series on which Martin himself also contributes original music. The song was produced by Derrick Freeman (who shared an OffBeat cover with Martin), mixed by Grammy Award-winning Chris Finney, and recorded at Parlor Studios, Marigny Studios, and Butcher Studios.

Max Bronstein of Slugger plays guitar on the track, Walt Lundy of Bonerama provides drums, Cesar Bacaro adds to percussion, Beck Burger contributes organ, and the aforementioned Oscar Rossignoli rounds out the track on piano. “Tube” Steve Glenn of NOJO plays the Sousaphone, as well.

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