At around 7:40, the choir Myron Butler & Levi kicked things off with a high-octane gospel set that drew the sold-out crowd to its feet. It was a church service on steroids — a fitting opening for a night honoring one of North Texas' most influential musicians.
After the gospel choir exited the stage, a vignette from Kirk Franklin, for whom Martin was the former music director, was shown on the screen. It was the first of many tributes to be played throughout the night, featuring virtual cameos including Chaka Khan and James Poyser sharing memories about Martin.
Then, host Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III announced that Erykah Badu was coming up next. Everyone checked the time: 8 p.m. Surely Badu, the night’s biggest star, wasn’t about to come on second in the bill. And surely Badu, who's notoriously not punctual, wasn’t really about to be on a stage at 8 p.m.
But Badu pulled a fast one, walking onto the stage with little bravado before opening with a stripped-down rendition of “Out My Mind, Just in Time,” followed by the smooth “Time’s a Wastin.”
“The first death is your physical death,” Badu said between songs. “The second death is the last time someone says your name, sings your song or is inspired by your creativity. For as long as I’m here, Shaun, you will never die.”
She continued into “Danger,” a 2003 track that she noted was co-written with RC Williams, Badu's longtime musical director, who played piano. Williams tapped that iconic key, instantly recognizable for Badu fans as the opening to “Bag Lady,” as Badu recounted working on the song in a studio with Martin, crediting him for the intro.
Badu sat on the edge of the stage for this song, highlighting how small the room was for as big a star as she. Last summer, she went on a nationwide arena tour. This summer, Norah Jones is doing the same. This night, they were to perform for a theater that sits just over 1,000.
After “Bag Lady,” Badu exited the stage, and it became clear that each artist was limited to a 20-minute set. She was followed by organist Cory Henry, who shared stories about Martin and covered Donny Hathaway’s “A Song For You” and gospel classic “When We All Get To Heaven.”
Henry was followed by Terrace Martin, who spent his 20 minutes oscillating between a saxophone and a talkbox as the house band tried to keep up. He was excellent.
After Martin, producer extraordinaire Robert Glasper assumed command of the keys. He recalled first meeting Shaun Martin in the 11th grade, knowing him by reputation from Dallas' performing arts high school, Booker T. Washington, as Glasper attended Houston’s performing arts high school.
Shaun Martin's band, The Go-Go Band, was among the many Dallas legends remembering an icon through music.
Simon Pruitt
Glasper’s set was about 12 minutes straight of piano soloing, with a few teases to his other music spliced between.
His night wouldn’t end after his set though. He was followed by Booker T alum Norah Jones, who brought him back to the stage after opening with “The Nearness of You.”
Jones and Glasper attended jazz camps together throughout grade school and reconnected in college while Jones worked on her first demo. The pair performed “Let It Ride,” from Glasper’s brilliant 2013 album, Black Radio II.
Glasper exited, and Jones closed with 2024’s “Paradise” and her iconic 2002 hit, “Don’t Know Why.”
After Jones, married duo David and Tamela Mann performed a gospel song, giving way to Bobby Sparks and Williams' band RC and The Gritz to round out the night.
The last band up was Snarky Puppy. The Grammy-winning band described Martin as the “first rockstar” any of them had ever met, when he first recorded with them. He’d been with the band since 2004.
After the final set, Martin’s family was invited onstage and presented with a wood-burned portrait of him, signed by all the performers that evening. The piece will now be permanently displayed at TBAAL.
To close the night, a string quartet backed four solo singers performing original music that Martin wrote, before every performer was invited back on stage to play an improv go-go song. It was a beautiful night, musicians paying tribute to a beloved musician in the only way they knew how. With his face now permanently etched into the halls of TBAAL, and a sold-out room of Dallasites paying tribute, Martin may never experience a second death.
