Photo from the Not Not Jazz’ Film Poster 

On Thursday evening, Aug. 29, Billy Martin valiantly addressed his recent mental health tribulations on social media. The percussionist brought the topic of his well-being to the forefront in a candid message to fans, sharing he spent 10 days in a psychiatric unit after experiencing a bout of poor eating habits, lack of sleep, consistent panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts. With the help of friends and loved ones, Martin’s recovery journey has yielded a new passion, which he followed up on via his official newsletter. See below.

Composing a message about his mental health trials, Martin wrote to his fans and followers via his official newsletter: “This past winter was incredibly challenging for me. I found myself struggling with almost everything. As my partner and soulmate, Phaedra, put it, I was experiencing the ‘dark night of the soul.’ I felt a heavy weight building inside me that wasn’t pleasant. By March, it culminated in a 10-day stay in the psych unit. Months of not eating well, sleeping just four hours a night, and experiencing constant panic attacks wore me down. I was consumed by fear, dread, and catastrophic thoughts. A mix of depression, anxiety, and neglecting my creative life pushed me into a storm I couldn’t handle alone.”

Continuing to piece together the events leading up to his newfound venture, Martin thanked his wife and children before acknowledging a lack of communication. On the other side of a challenging experience, Martin expressed, “It’s as though I’ve been reborn, waking up every day with child-like wonder. What a journey it has been.” 

Hitting on the source of change, Martin introduced his new move: “After shedding that heavy weight, I discovered something new about myself. I’m not just a drummer, composer, producer, visual artist, and educator—though I am all those things, too! I’ve realized I’m also an instrument builder—a bamboo luthier. I invent, design, and craft musical sculptures from bamboo!”

The musician and instrument builder went on to detail an upcoming weekend workshop residency at IBeam in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Sept. 28-29, 2024, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Outlining the class, he said, “You’ll have access to a variety of bamboo sound-making instruments—from percussion to flutes to stringed instruments! No need to be an accomplished musician; we’ll make joyful noise together, collaborating in rhythm, harmony, and melody.” 

Sign up now. Scroll down to read Martin’s official social posts,and check out his newsletter here.