Mart’n James (Martin James) – born 1955 at Whim, East Berbice-Corentyne in then British Guiana (now Guyana), the only English speaking country in South America and home to Kaieteur Falls, the longest straight drop in the world at 741ft.
Whilst attending Queen’s College Mart’n taught himself to play piano and guitar after witnessing a fellow student, Derry Etkins’ prowess on the piano. He had a brief stint in “Sing Out Guyana” in 1969-1970 and joined his first group ” The Limits” in 1971. He did a stint of organ/vocals with Colin “Bumble” Wharton & The Pyramids, Guyana’s best-known guitarist at the Chinese Dragon Rooftop Club – 1972 and Sid & the Slickers of Mahaica Fame in 1973. Mart’n co-founded the band ” The Berbice Music Corporation – The MC’s ” in 1974 -75 in New Amsterdam, Berbice. and also played Organ at the Park & Tower Hotels in the mid ’70’s.
In ’81 he migrated to Canada & was asked to join Toronto’s popular dance band Phase II, which featured in the West Indian nightclub circuit, a headliner in the Caribana Parade & Toronto Island Boat Cruises and made appearances all over Atlantic Canada, Halifax, Montreal, Kitchener, London, Scarborough & Toronto, always to appreciative crowds …a major highlight of the band’s career performing once in Ottawa at a function whose guest of honor was Canada’s Former Governor-General, the Rt. Hon. Lincoln Alexander.
Mart’n has been solo since 1991 but makes appearances with former members of Phase II, the most memorable being May 2005 in Tampa Fla. for the Guyana Flood Relief Concert and most recent collaboration being the All Aboard tour back to Guyana in March 2007 sponsored by Paul Cheddie’s PC CanUS productions where they performed as the guests of the Ministry of Crafts & Trade at the Sofia Centre, Palm Court, a popular downtown nightspot and at Buddy’s International Hotel, Providence, E.B.D. adjoining the new Cricket Stadium.
An avid songwriter, he has composed two songs about his love for the Land of his birth, Guyana and is on track to one day produce A “100% GT ” album of songs every Guyanese will proud to have in their collection, play for their guests or give as a souvenir of their homeland.
Mart’n has been working on his 1st full-length CD compilation for a while now, but as they say, “What’s worth having is worth waiting for” and his labor of love is the evidence of his passion for ” The Music Of Your Life “.
CEO “can-G productions” of Toronto, Canada and proud father of Marcy & Mitch.
