Kristján Martinsson

Kristján Martinsson (1986) is an Icelandic composer, pianist, and multi-instrumentalist crafting vivid musical worlds from his base in Amsterdam. His music moves fluidly between composition and improvisation, between structure and spontaneity—always in search of new ways to tell a story. As the leader of K Tríó, he made his mark in the jazz world, with their album Meatball Evening winning three Icelandic Music Awards and earning them the Young Nordic Jazz Comets title in 2008. Over the years, he has shaped his sound through projects like Secret Swing Society, Reginfirra, Unvarnished, and In Layers, exploring the boundaries between jazz, classical, and experimental music. Since 2021, his focus has turned inward, toward solo work that blends melodic depth with the vastness of improvisation. His 2022 album Stökk was a quiet yet bold exploration of space, movement, and resonance. On February 21, 2025, he releases 1035, a reimagining of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Flute Sonata BWV 1035. Using the Keybird, a modern acoustic-electric piano, Martinsson transforms Bach’s motifs into something fluid and unpredictable—part composition, part improvisation, part dialogue across time. 1035 is not just a reinterpretation; it is a new landscape where classical themes breathe in the present moment. With a restless curiosity and a deep sense of musical storytelling, Kristján Martinsson continues to push boundaries, crafting music that is both intimate and expansive.