Martin Jondo

Born in Berlin to a Korean mother and German father, singer Martin Jondo discovered reggae through his teenage fascination with Rastafari culture. During 2002 he worked Gentleman’s tour not as a performer but as a merchandiser hawking T-shirts to concertgoers. Gentleman eventually invited the young seller onstage, where Jondo’s performance of his original song “Rainbow Warrior” won such an enthusiastic response that the headliner awarded him a permanent slot for the remainder of the dates. That opportunity placed Jondo on the 2002 DVD Gentleman and the Far East Band Live. Although Gentleman later offered him a permanent place in the band, Jondo declined, unwilling to perform over riddims sourced from Jamaica and determined instead to create his own material. Producer Kraans de Lutin noticed Jondo’s songwriting talent and signed him to the Homeground label. His debut came with the 2005 EP Rainbow Warrior, followed by the single “The One.” The full-length album Echo & Smoke arrived in 2006; its tracks “Jah Gringo,” “Are You Really Waiting,” and “Clearly” (featuring Gentleman) all charted in Germany and drew attention from reggae listeners internationally. Late that year Jondo joined Neneh Cherry on the trip-hop single “Is What It Is” by cirKus.