[sharpsuxx]

My Wife took me to a concert on my first birthday with her, I was turning 22 and we went to the Blue Note in Columbia down by Mizzou.  On stage walked a man, if you can call him a man, with the greatest vocal range and such power and emotion through every lyric.  The sound out of his Godin A6  semi acoustic with his special modified pick ups, and mind-boggling stage presence, of a man and his guitar captivating a theater full of just shy of a thousand people.  John Mayer doesn't mince words when calling Martin, "The best live performer I have ever seen."  His voice has been described as angelic among many other things and with the power of his delivery he is often standing a few feet back from the microphone so as not to blow the house system.  I have seen Martin Sexton two more times since then and he has continued to be the greatest live performer I have ever seen. 

He plays a mash of anywhere from Blues, Jazz, Rock, Folk I think the Rollingstone best describes the genre in this sentence, "His inexperience gave him the freedom to experiment, and every sound he absorbed from Seventies' Top 40 AM radio ("I would sleep with it on") and free-form FM radio seemed to flow from his voice and battered guitar."  It is really something that can touch someone who appreciates nearly any genre of music.

There are no albums that can truly capture his live performance but his 2 disc release "Live Wide Open" mixed and recorder by John Alagia made famous for his live recordings of Dave Mathews and John Mayer.  I apologize for my rant and also I hope my words can convince you to listen to this man's music because I would be really letting you down if I couldn't.  Here are a few other media reviews of his performances.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/martin-sexton-finds-joy-hope-and-wonder-20001115


http://www.jambands.com/reviews/shows/2012/02/03/martin-sexton-the-wilma-theater-missoula-mt-1-26


And here you can download "Live wide open" in flac if you would like to give Mr. Sexton a try, I highly recommend it.
http://martinsexton.shop.musictoday.com/Product.aspx?cp=1125_6076&pc=8MDD05


Thanks guys, sorry for the gushing
Enjoy the Tunes...

[neekomax]

I dig Martin Sexton.

"Black Sheep" and "In the Journey" are both cool albums.

[Mijknarf]

This recoding has been in my collection for years.  Another big fan.

Jim

[krikor]

Ditto 

[stlrman]

He is fantastic in concert!! I have seen him twice for FREE in Pittsburgh, outdoors. The last show this past summer I took my wife, who was not familiar with him. She went home pretty much blown away by the performance.
What studio albums should I get? I have the live one, and it is a reference recording in my ears.
Todd

[Phil A]

I've heard his stuff on the radio recently and really liked it.  I heard of him as I have one of his sister's (Colleen) SACDs.  I believe he produced the album.  Have not listened to it in a bit.  It is on my list to check out more of his stuff.

[sharpsuxx]

If you are looking to start listening to him "Live Wide Open" is a great live album, "Black Sheep" is a great studio album version of it and a very high quality Vinyl if you have a good record store in town. 

I am going to see him again on April 3rd in Columbia MO, he is on tour right now if you feel like catching the real thing in a town near you.

[mgalusha]

A friend gave me Live Wide Open as a gift to introduce me to Martin Sexton, a lovely pair of CD's to be sure. 

[genjamon]

I first heard him in a large music festival for the last couple songs of the set and left wanting to know more.  Then later that summer I heard him in a small venue blues club in downtown Aspen just after 4th of July - he was AMAZING.  He had a pretty low-key audience, and a bit stuck up, totally jumping and rocking by about the second song.  Very inspiring performance.

Coincidentally, I was just listening to Black Sheep again on my way to work this morning.  Good stuff.  Never heard the Live Wide Open album, though, so guess what I'm doing tonight?

[max190]

Saw him at Blueberry Hill in St Louis many years ago. Martin and his band put on a hell of a show.
I love the 'Wonder Bar' cd

[ken]

I don't own any of his albums but WFUV in NYC has been covering him for years now. Unfortunately he gets no airplay anywhere else in the NY metro area.  Would love to see him live someday.

[Thump553]

I totally agree-he is an amazing talent, does a tremendous live show but yet has next to no commercial presence, even on the folkie ciruit. 

Sometimes there is no justice.

[pehare]

"The American" is excellent as well, enjoy!

[Geardaddy]

great rec.  I did not even know about him.  Live Wide Open is tremendous....

[sharpsuxx]

Glad to hear you like it...he is great, even better live.  My wife and I love him.

[kevin360]

You were right on both counts - thanks for correcting the first (it's in my cart).

[sharpsuxx]

Come and see him April 3rd in Columbia MO or see him in a town near you...he is on tour it is even better!