Bruton Theater at The Black Academy of Arts and Letters hosted an all-star tribute concert Saturday honoring the late Shaun Martin, a beloved composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist from Oak Cliff. The night featured performances by friends of Shaun Martin – including Erykah Badu, Norah Jones, Robert Glasper, Bobby Sparks, RC & The Gritz, Snarky Puppy and more.
Martin died in August after a long, undisclosed illness. He was 45. Many of the musicians who gathered had attended Booker T Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Others, like gospel star Kirk Franklin, who appeared via video tribute, had worked with Martin since the musician was a teenager.
The night began with a prayer by Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes, pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church, where Martin served as music minister. “Shaun could pray, praise, play, and party,” Rev. Haynes said, emphasizing Martin’s deep roots in both the church and music communities. “Thank you, God, for the gift of Harold LaShaun ‘Fingers’ Martin,” he added, as the audience prepared for an evening of music and reflection.
The tribute opened with a powerful performance by Myron Butler & Levi, bringing a gospel-infused energy to the stage. Butler encouraged the crowd to celebrate Martin’s life, saying, “Make some noise if you love our brother Shaun Martin.” The audience gave an immediate standing ovation for Martin, clapping and dancing to the upbeat sounds.
Erykah Badu, a long-time friend and collaborator, followed with a moving 20-minute set. It included “Out of My Mind, Just in Time” and “Time’s A Wastin’” from her Mama’s Gun album, which Martin had worked on. Before Badu got off stage, she said, “Shaun, guess what? We love you. We feel you, we miss you. You will forever live because the old ones say that there are two deaths that we experience. The first one is the death when our brain die, our bodies die. We no longer move. That’s death number one.
“Death number two is the last time someone says your name. Or sings your song. Or is inspired by your creativity. The last time that happens, that’s the second death. And sure as I am here in the place that I grew up, your legacy will live forever.”
Next, Terrace Martin performed a soulful tribute on saxophone, sharing stories about how Shaun Martin and the Dallas music scene shaped his career. “People are gonna be in college studying him,” Terrace said, before playing alongside RC Williams.
Robert Glasper told stories about Shaun from when they were in high school, talking about how they had heard about each other through the grapevine of the jazz scene. When Glasper’s curiosity came to a head, Martin and his friends RC Williams, Braylon Lacy and Robert “Sput” Searight “came looking for my ass like I stole some s***,” he laughed on stage. When Martin finally saw him play, they became tight friends after that.
“Shaun has always been one of my favorite keyboard players and favorite people,” Glasper said with levity that matched his storytelling.
Norah Jones, another long-time collaborator, began her set with “The Nearness of You.” Her voice rang out in the room with touching depth. “[Shaun] was my hero. I loved him very much. And he taught me a lot. I’m very grateful to be here honoring him tonight,” she said.
Glasper joined Jones to play their song “Let It Ride,” before playing her new song “Paradise” with RC Williams and closing the set with her multi-Grammy-winning song “Don’t Know Why.”
Throughout the night, performances by Bobby Sparks, RC & The Gritz, Snarky Puppy and The GoGo Band showcased the depth of Martin’s influence across musical genres and decades of collaborating with top-tier musicians.
The event also featured video tributes between sets, including one from Kirk Franklin, with whom Martin worked for years. In the video, Franklin said, “If you’ve ever been in [Shaun’s] presence, you witnessed first hand the Midas touch of a surgeon. To the world, he was a musical outlier. A poet using eighth notes and East Coast drum cadences to paint his own Mona Lisa. To me, he was my North Star of 30 years. The only voice I trusted to council me on my musical exploration. We would laugh, fight, weep, dream and push limits established by our religious ecosystem – until we felt like our gifts were not suppressed by the opinions of the sanctified. I hate loneliness and I must acquiesce to what I don’t understand. I will never be my musical best without Shaun Martin. My music will eternally live in the deficit with the question, ‘What if Shaun was here, lurking behind every final mix?’”
Though grief was present, the evening maintained an uplifting spirit. The tribute was a heartfelt celebration of Shaun Martin’s talent, legacy, and enduring impact on the music world. His contributions, both as a musician and a mentor, continue to inspire and influence countless artists.
Jessica Waffles is a freelance photographer/videographer and regular contributor to KXT.
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