Kaleidoscope Reviews:
Recording Magazine, 2007
http://recordingmag.com/Spotlight_0507.html
Music Connection, May 21, 2007
“Martin’s warm, natural vocal tone and her talented backup players
on piano, sax and drums, infuse her original material with a
quality that makes her songs sound classic, as opposed to derivative.
‘Ready for Love’ and the album’s title cut, a piano vocal entitled
‘Kaleidoscope,’ might evoke memories of Woody Allen soundtracks.
We feel that film/TV music supervisors might find these tunes
useful.”
Tis the Season Reviews:
Christmas Reviews.com, 2005
http://www.christmasreviews.com/wbarbaramartin.shtml
Touch the Sky Reviews:
“…Martin’s lyrics deserve notice. They are insightful, witty and
intelligent without being snobbish. With songs like ‘Big Bad
Wolf blue’ and ‘Funk Jungle,’ she could teach the art of metaphor
to a high school English class.” Katy Hershberger, washingtonpost.com/mp3,
July 13, 2004
“Mac Walter's solidly competent acoustic jazz/blues guitar work and Barbara Martin's vocal evoke memories of the innovative early recordings of Tuck and Patti. Martin contributes several compositions to the effort, most notably the bluesy ‘Big Bad Wolf’, ‘Existential Blues’, and ‘Funk Jungle’ where her vocal sits most comfortably. The duo's versions of such standards as ‘Them There Eyes’, the Irving Berlin classic ‘Blue Skies’, and an instrumental arrangement of ‘There Will Never Be Another You’ are also solid and merit a listen. What stands out most on this album, however, is Walter's facile and easy-going fretwork.” Chip O'Brien, Minor 7th
The Joy of Making Music
“Listen to ‘The Story of Love,’ one of a half dozen originals mixed
in amidst blues and jazz standards on Barbara Martin & Mac
Walter’s new CD, Touch the Sky, and you will be instantly
hooked. It’s a song at once familiar, yet fresh, intelligent
and engrossing. Barbara Martin has released four other CDs
since 1993. Touch the Sky is her most stripped down
outing to date, and it’s her finest, thanks in no small part
to the guitar wizardry of her musical partner Mac Walter. He
is quite simply an amazing picker.
Martin is a familiar face having come down from her home in Staunton
many times in recent years for concerts, workshops, and programs
on the history of jazz and blues in local schools. In a review of
her first album, A Matter of Time, I wrote that she ‘is
a very attractive singer, rootsy and bluesy one minute, sweet and
tender the next.’ That description still applies.
Mac Walter is a master of the acoustic guitar, a role model to would-be
players in his virtuosity on the instrument. Citing influences ranging
from West Montgomery to Django Reinhardt to Frank Zappa, he is one
of those rare musicians who can do it all while still retaining his
own distinctive voice.
The new disc whets the appetite for Saturday’s live performance. It is an incredible showcase for the strengths these two possess, spotlighting the joy they obviously share when making music together. Their take on Irving Berlin’s 80-year old “Blue Skies” is so inventive that it sounds like a new song. Walter reminds me of blue grass/’new acoustic’ great Tony Rice in the fluidity and imagination of his playing, and his solo run through ‘There Will Never Be Another You’ would put a smile on Charlie Byrd’s face. Martin digs out her best blues chops on Sippie Wallace’s ‘You Got to Know How’ and her own ‘Big Bad Wolf Blues,’ and gives us humorous glimpses of everyday life on ‘Existential Blues’ and ‘Rise and Shine Angel.’
From the opening walking bass line, hot club licks and Ella-like scatting of ‘Them There Eyes’ to the set closing Maria Muldaur-meets-Michael Hedges treatment of Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Goin’ On,’ this is music to savor again and again. Saturday night’s concert is not one to be missed.” Jim Newsom, Porfolio Weekly, April 27, 2004
From Ragtime to Rock and Roll Reviews:
Parents Choice Foundation Silver Honor Award, Fall 2000
www.parents-choice.org/product.cfm?product_id=1619&StepNum=1&award=aw
“An edutaining musical American history lesson featuring Barbara Martin’s solid, clear vocals, riding the crest of fine arrangements, accompaniment and stellar production value. Nicely done!” John Wood, Kidzmusic.com
A Different View Reviews:
“…a songwriter with an unexpected gift for double entendre and sultry
melody and a singer with a penchant for smoldering seduction.” Geoffrey
Himes, Baltimore Sun, 2000
“Barbara Martin’s compact combo swings hard with Martin’s muted brass voice between Mac Walter’s bending and sliding steel strings.” Dirty Linen, 2000