Ben García & Lucas Martínez — Raíces | Press Release

BEN GARCÍA & LUCAS MARTÍNEZ

“Raíces”

Contemporary jazz born from a moment of pause

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About the album

Raíces emerges from a moment of pause. From the need to slow down, listen attentively, and ask ourselves once more who we are when everything around us is in motion. Amidst constant travel, change, and displacement, the project arises as a space to breathe, to stop, and to reconnect with what gives meaning to making music.

This is a contemporary jazz and improvisation project imbued with introspection, dialogue, and deep listening, where nostalgia, vulnerability, and contemplation coexist with moments of celebration. The music is built from calm and shared experience, stepping away from virtuosity and academicism to prioritise an honest and human relationship with sound. In this balance between open composition and improvisation, Raíces engages in dialogue with contemporary auteur jazz and kindred approaches such as those of Aaron Parks, Shai Maestro, James Farm, Walter Smith III, and The Bad Plus—particularly in its attention to space, collective identity, and listening as a creative force.

The project took shape in Barcelona in 2024, when Ben García and Lucas Martínez met outside El Molino. What began as a chance encounter quickly blossomed into a profound friendship and genuine artistic understanding. Living and performing far from their places of origin led both musicians through parallel processes of uprooting, change, and searching—experiences that became the creative engine of the album.

Musically, Raíces is constructed from open compositions that function as suggested routes rather than fixed destinations. Improvisation appears not as technical demonstration, but as a space for listening and real-time conversation. Across six pieces, the album proposes an inner journey that traverses different emotional states and redefines the notion of home as something built along the way and in relation to others.

The album features Antonio Sánchez on drums and Marco Mezquida on piano, two musicians of considerable renown whose artistic sensibility lends depth, colour, and a symbolic dimension to the project. The track “La Plaza” also features guitarist Dariel Peniazek as a special guest.

Raíces has been conceived for attentive, unhurried listening, in an intimate setting that leaves room for detail, silence, and breath. Rather than offering definitive answers, the record invites the listener to share a moment of connection through deep listening and human experience.

About the artists

Ben García is a Mexican double bassist whose musical practice moves between contemporary jazz, improvisation, and auteur composition. His approach is characterised by a reflective and sound-sensitive outlook, with particular attention to melody and the narrative development of music. On Raíces, he brings an introspective vision and extensive experience in realising recording projects, both musically and in terms of concept and visual identity.

Lucas Martínez is a saxophonist whose career has developed across different scenes and geographies. His understanding of music is shaped by constant movement, exploration, and creative impulse. On Raíces, he brings a decisive expressive voice and an energy that articulates much of the album’s emotional discourse.

Tracklist

Credits

Lucas Martínez — tenor saxophone
Benjamín García — upright bass
Antonio Sánchez — drums
Marco Mezquida — piano
Dariel Peniazek — guitar (“La Plaza”, track 6)

Production: Ben García & Lucas Martínez
Recording: Marc Piña
Mixing & mastering: Dave Darlington
Art direction and design: Svhen
Photography: Pau Berruecos

Singles

Links

• Website: lucasbenmusic.com
• Bandcamp: lucasbenmusic.bandcamp.com
• Video “TJ–Paris”: Watch on Vimeo
• Instagram (Lucas): @lucasmartinezsax
• Instagram (Ben): @bengarciabass

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