Threesome Reel by Stuart Martz

Ever diverse, He has also composed music for theater ("Ludlow") and television comercials ("Celestial Seasonings").

Performing for audiences long before he was old enough to get into the clubs he was playing, Martz jokes that he "never had to have a paper route". During the late 80's he played solo, founded his first trio "Stuart Martz and the Folkheads" and co-founded a duo called the Ceilidh Cowboys with Scotsman Donny MacDonald, now of Men Of Worth fame. He also attended University College Galway and was awarded the prestigious Watson Foundation Fellowship for his work with traditional music. His first full length album, Collected, was released in 1990, and included guest appearances by longtime friends John Van Orman, and Todd Menton, front man of Boiled in Lead. Martz relocated to Minneapolis the following year, and was joined by Menton, who later left "BiL" to concentrate on Martz and Menton full time. During this time, Martz also toured with The Irish Brigaide, and The Full Schilling, and performed with All Ireland champion, Sean O'Driscoll (The Irish Rovers). Following Menton's departure after several years of particularly heavy booking schedules for the duo, Martz returned to his roots, performing solo, and with his "electro-celtic power trio", The Stuart Martz Band, earning three Minnesota Music Awards nominations for "Best World/Folk Artist" in the process, and inking a distribution deal with Rounder Records.

His most recent albums, Threesome Reel, and the upcoming Hungry Streets of Home, include backing tracks by colleagues and bandmates, and feature guest appearances by Bohola's Pat Broaders (Shanachie Records) , and All Ireland flute champion Sean Conway.

Now based in the L.A. area, additional projects have included stints as a touring member of Tempest (fiddle) and, most recently, The Fenians (lead vocals, guitar, fiddle, backing vocals, songwriter).

Here’s What They Say:

A contemporary Celtic Rock masterpiece.

Steve Caseman

Rock ‘n’ Reel (UK)

Hot shot guitarist….Martz delivers in a way (Richard) Thompson and (Mark) Knopfler will never be able to : Martz plays a mean fiddle as well.

Dave Sleger

All Music Guide

Fascinating . . . promising and exciting electric folk.

Tom Nelligan

Dirty Linen (US)

Stylish and Potent.

Tom Surowicz

Twin Cities Reader (US)

Genuine, well-played, powerful, and thoroughly engaging.

Music Review Quarterly (US)

. . . Kick Ass . . .

Simon Jones

Folk Roots (UK)

A voyage of discovery . . . praise from critics and musicians alike.

Terry Higgins

The Irish American Post (US)

The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem in a bagpipe with the Chieftains and half of U2.

Mark Henry

Nightlife (US)

10 out of 10.

Dave Pegg

(Fairport Convention/Jethro Tull)

Captures all that is best in Celtic Rock Music.

Martin Hayes

(All Ireland Fiddle Champion/Green Linnet recording artist)

Average Customer Review: