Born in Berlin to a Korean mother and a German father, singer
Martin Jondo came to reggae music thanks to a teenage interest in Rastafari culture. In 2002 he joined future German reggae star
Gentleman on tour, not as a musician but as a merchandiser selling T-shirts to the fans. Eventually,
Gentleman took a chance on
Jondo and brought him on-stage. When
Jondo delivered his original composition "Rainbow Warrior," the crowd responded so positively that
Gentleman gave his merchandiser his own spot in the show for the rest of the tour. This led to
Jondo appearing on the DVD Gentleman and the Far East Band Live, released in 2002. He received an offer to join
Gentleman's outfit but
Jondo didn't want to sing over the Jamaica-sourced riddims he was offered, preferring instead to write his own music. Producer Kraans de Lutin recognized what a skilled songwriter
Jondo was, and signed him to his Homeground label. The 2005 EP Rainbow Warrior became his first release, with the single "The One" following. In 2006 the album Echo & Smoke landed, with the singles "Jah Gringo," "Are You Really Waiting," and "Clearly" (featuring
Gentleman) all becoming hits in Germany, while also making an impression with the reggae faithful worldwide. By the end of the year he appeared alongside
Neneh Cherry on the single "Is What It Is" by the trip-hop crew
cirKus. ~ David Jeffries