James Martin is a saxophonist, singer, songwriter, and award-winning bandleader whose career has brought him international acclaim.
A founding member of Trombone Shorty’s Orleans Avenue alongside Jon Batiste, James began his career at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts (NOCCA) and earned a full scholarship to Loyola University, where he double-majored in Jazz Saxophone and Music Industries. During his seven-year tenure with Orleans Avenue, he performed globally and contributed original material to three album releases.
Today, he leads the James Martin Band, with performances at major festivals including Jazz in Duketown, Breda Jazz Fest, Port-au-Prince Jazz Fest, Copenhagen Jazz Fest, Tel Aviv Jazz Fest, Edinburgh Jazz Fest, Spiagge Soul Festival, Fort L’Ecluse Jazz Festival, Ascona Jazz Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. His band is a fixture at local venues such as Tipitina’s, The Spotted Cat Music Club, and the Carousel Lounge. Their third album, Keep Movin’, debuted at #9 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, and his 2024 album From Here. features collaborators Ivan Neville (Dumpstaphunk), Darrius “Deezle” Harrison (Lil’ Wayne, Drake, Nicki Minaj), Roger Lewis (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Fats Domino), Shamarr Allen, Erica Falls, Kr3wcial, and Alfred Banks.
James is also a core member of the internationally touring Soul Brass Band, where he serves as a saxophonist, vocalist, arranger, and songwriter. Their 2019 album Levels was produced by Galactic’s Ben Ellman. He has appeared on the cover of OffBeat Magazine and has been nominated multiple times as Best Saxophonist at OffBeat’s Best of the Beat Music Awards.
His original music has been featured on CBS’ NCIS: New Orleans, Anthony Bourdain’s Raw Craft, and Abu Dhabi TV, and he was the arranger and voice behind Popeyes Chicken commercials. He also appeared on HBO’s Treme and ESPN’s Monday Night Football, and has recorded or performed with Ivan Neville, Flowtribe, Amanda Shaw, James Andrews, and others. James teaches music to incarcerated youth through the Preservation Hall Foundation at Travis Hill School and served as clinician for the 2024 New Orleans Junior High District Honor Jazz Band.
As founder of Big Easy Entertainment, James is committed to representing New Orleans culture by connecting events with the city’s top working musicians. His mission is to elevate private events with authentic live music and to ensure the culture powering the city’s event economy is honored and sustained by investing directly in the artists who bring it to life.
Joel Jackson is the lead booking agent for Big Easy Entertainment. With over 25 years in the event and entertainment industries, he specializes in connecting convention and tourism clients with the vibrant musical talent that defines New Orleans.
Joel began his career in New Orleans in the mid-1990s as a production manager for Superfly Presents during their Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest concert series at the Contemporary Arts Center. He was subsequently hired by the CAC to develop its private event rental program, selling and producing hundreds of events for the multidisciplinary arts organization. Joel was later named Director of Performing Arts and developed a grant-supported jazz concert series in collaboration with renowned trumpeter and film composer Terence Blanchard.
In 2001, Joel moved to Portland, Oregon, where he secured brand partnerships for live music properties such as the Edgefield Summer Concerts series, promoted by Monqui Presents, and Willamette Week’s Musicfest Northwest. Corporate partner clients included Adidas, Wells Fargo, Toyota, Comcast, and Diageo. Concurrently, he co-founded Spitball Media, producing immersive video experiences for global brands across tech, fashion, and communications—including Nike, Microsoft, Nokia, and AT&T.
Drawing on those dual experiences, Joel began a decade-long collaboration with Superfly Presents, producing branded content videos for the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and San Francisco’s Outside Lands. It was a continuation of the throughline that has defined his career: live music as a catalyst for connection.
Since joining Big Easy Entertainment in 2023, Joel has carried that ethos forward—working closely with clients to shape music experiences that inspire meaningful connection. He doesn’t just “book gigs”—he pairs intention with artistry, tapping into the cultural heartbeat of New Orleans while making the process seamless and stress-free.
