Lionel Martin, also known by the stage name Madsaxx, is a saxophonist. He began playing the saxophone at age 7 at the Caluire Music School, where he studied under Michel Rodriguez. His musical influences are varied, including artists such as Sidney Bechet, John Coltrane, and Bérurier Noir. Very early on, he turned his attention to musical improvisation. At age 18, Lionel Martin began teaching music while performing primarily at jazz festivals. He also played on the street, where he drew inspiration and energy for his compositions. In 1997, with one of his first groups, the “Freesons Sextet,” he won first prize at the Gexto Festival. In 2001, he won the competition with his trio and released his first album under his own name. He performed in Cuba with Luc Le Masne’s orchestra, then recorded three albums with the Trio Resistances. In 2007, he formed the band Ukandanz with guitarist Damien Cluzel, drummer Guilhem Meier, keyboardist Fred Escoffier, and Addis Ababa-born singer Asnake Gebreyes, pioneering the “ethio-crunch” style. The band has performed in Europe, Japan, and the United States, releasing albums and embarking on international tours. Since then, Ukandanz has continued to release albums, give concerts, and tour internationally. To gain more independence, Lionel Martin founded his own label, Ouch! Records, in 2015, which features some thirty releases by a variety of artists, including Eugene Chadbourne, Chris Speed & Jim Black, Zézé Wolo, Louis Sclavis, Mario Stantchev, Steve MacKay with Bunktilt, Eric Mingus, and No Suicide Act, a duo he formed with FanXoa, former lead singer of Bérurier Noir.
In 2022, he recorded Fictions with Jean-Jacques Birgé, and in 2025, the CD Les déments, featuring Birgé and actor Denis Lavant, won the Grand Prix de l'Académie Charles Cros.
