The incredible rise of Taunton trumpeter Luís Martelo

Luís Martelo’s story is one of his incredible rise from the guttermost to the uttermost.

Forced to eke out a lonely existence on the street in his native Portugal after his parents split up and left him homeless, he has since become one of the top trumpet players in the world.

I caught up with Luís, 35, the day after he returned from performing in Portugal for a brief break with his wife and five children in their Galmington home before heading to The Azores for a series of six concerts.

A couple of months ago he took Montreal by storm and in October and November he is back in Portugal.

Graffiti artist Vile painted a huge mural of Luís on the side of a five-storey building in Montijo, Portugal. (Image: Luís Martelo)

He has played classic and jazz songs in various parts of the UK, as well as Spain, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland and recently released his latest album of his own music inspired by Latin Romantic and swing.

“The album took two years to complete and is the best I’ll probably ever do,” said Luís.

He took up the trumpet aged 11 and later joined the army, playing in a military band.

He then spent three years living rough before deciding to try his luck in London, where he worked on construction sites and in factories, and where he met his wife, Flavia.

(Her other claim to fame apart from being married to a world-famous trumpeter is that she grew up in the same street in Madeira as Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo).

Four years on and Luís moved to Taunton and revived his love of the trumpet.

Luís Martelo and his family. (Image: Luís Martelo)

During the pandemic he conquered the nation by playing on the streets, in nursing homes and hospitals and for the most vulnerable, as well as recording his first album.

Since then, he has been in great demand locally and internationally.

But playing the trumpet for an hour or two at a time is no easy task.

“I go to the gym for 90 minutes every day, otherwise I couldn’t do the tours,” said Luís.

“I need to be very fit and healthy to perform at concerts.

“Blowing the trumpet for an hour or two on stage is hard work - and you burn the same amount of calories as working out in the gym.

“I once performed in Lisbon and flew to Canada to perform there the same day, flying back to Lisbon straight afterwards. It’s hard work.”

But the effort has been worthwhile - Luís has won several international accolades, including for four consecutive years the silver medal in the Global Music Awards for best instrumentalist, best emerging artist, best album and best band.

Luís at his music shop in Taunton.

In the little spare time he has, Luís, who also runs a music shop in Taunton, loves taking his family to the beach, adding: “If I don’t see the ocean for a month I go crazy.

“I enjoy nature and history. I’m always looking at the blue plaques around Taunton.

“I will always be Portuguese, but I’m proud to be half British. England and Portugal are the oldest allies in the world, going back to 1373.”

Luís is a practising Christian, who attends Trull Church. His Damascus moment came during his life on the streets in Portugal.

“I knew there was something there and I met God on the street. I converted myself, really,” he explained.

“I thank God for my life. I couldn’t have imagined a few years ago what my life would be like today.

“When I went back to perform in the village where I’d been homeless, many people who had helped me or remembered me were there, saying, ‘How could you still be alive?’

“But I’m still not halfway to where I want to be.”