Marty Isenberg

Jazz and its form. Since the beginning of the 20th century, via blues, dixie, swing, bebop, rubbing shoulders with the crossover of European classical music, and finally in the dialog of free improvisation, it remains a living fascination. The much sought-after New York bassist Marty Isenberg has created an autobiographical jazz drama with “The Way I Feel Inside.” Inspired by the retrospective nature of Wes Anderson films and his selection of music from the 60s and 70s, Isenberg combined songs by Eliot Smith, Nick Drake, David Bowie, the Zombies, and the Kinks with newly arranged improvisations. The album, released in 2023, was highly praised by leading music critics, and streams are in the hundreds of thousands.

On stage, Marty Isenberg invites the audience to share the dramaturgically designed music symbolizing loss, change, uncertainty, reorientation, and fearlessness.

In a dialogue between the moderation and the music, Marty Isenberg on bass, vocalist Sami Stevens, Rodrogo Recabarren on drums, and  Alicyn Yaffee on guitar lead the audience through 90 minutes of entertaining program, highs and lows, ending in an encouraging liberation.

Dr. Marty Isenberg’s career as a jazz musician began at the age of 12, after losing his father to cancer the year prior. A skilled amateur musician, Marty’s father kept many instruments around the house that he would play for the family. After his death, Marty would pull one of these instruments off the wall and begin teaching himself how to play by reading tablature in Bass Player Magazine. Playing bass was love at first pluck for Mr. Isenberg. It was a cathartic healing experience, a way to stay connected to his father, and a way to creatively express himself.

He went on to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, where he majored in Jazz Performance and minored in Jazz Composition. He received his Master of Music degree from New York University, and later completed his doctorate at Stony Brook University. 

For almost 20 years, Mr. Isenberg has been part of the rich New York City music scene. His performing career weaves through many styles of music, from jazz to classical music to theater and contemporary music. Mr. Isenberg pulls from all of these experiences to arrange the music of his debut album, The Way I Feel Inside: Inspired by the Films of Wes Anderson, adding his own voice and reimagining the music that helped to shape his own musical identity.

He is an endorsing artist for Aguilar Amps, DR Strings, Fender Guitars, and Radial Engineering. He has performed for Radio City Christmas Spectacular, Kiss Me Kate, The Lion King, A Beautiful Noise, and Fun Home on Broadway. Furthermore, he has toured internationally with the Dave Juarez Trio and Soul Doctor the musical, and he is the cofounder and CEO of the Clinton Hill Music School in Brooklyn.