Martin Denny

Exotica Genre Pioneer and Composer

Martin Denny was an American pianist and composer often credited with creating the "exotica" genre, a subgenre of lounge music that incorporates tropical and island sounds. Born on April 10, 1911, in New York City, Denny enjoyed a long career that spanned several decades. He moved to Los Angeles to study piano under Lester Spitz and Arthur Schutt after attending college in New York. His career took off after he moved to Hawaii in the mid-1950s, where he formed the Martin Denny Group. The ensemble played at various venues, including the Hawaiian Village Hotel where they developed their signature sound.