Blog- August 2015

It feels good to be back in the Boston area again. I’ve been teaching piano and general music classes to students on the autism spectrum at Applied Behavioral Learning Services in Newton, MA.  And I’ve been doing a lot of jamming locally and in New York City, where my score for the jazz documentary film Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story recently had its New York premiere at Lincoln Center.  But it’s time to start preparing for fall tour dates in Japan and the US.

First things first though.  This July, I came out with a new single called “Go On,” which is available on iTunesCD Baby and many other digital music stores.  This is a jazz fusion piece featuring a new quartet from New York- myself on keyboards, Brandon Wright on tenor sax, Tom Berkmann on bass and Richie Barshay on drums.  It represents a new “crossover” sound for my music, and I take both piano and electronic keyboard solos on the recording.

I’ve been going to New York City a lot this summer, not just for performances (I play with alto saxophonist Zac Zinger), but for a major event.  The documentary film Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story had its first New York showing on August 2 at the Sound + Vision Live festival, located at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.  The film is about the troubled life of alto saxophonist Frank Morgan, and I did the score (it was my first full film score).  The film also features a Frank Morgan tribute band that includes Ron Carter, Delfeayo Marsalis, Grace Kelly and others; many of those great musicians were in the audience.

Right now, I’m preparing fall tour dates; I already have many fundraisers lined up and am confirming club dates in New York and elsewhere.  But the biggest event of all is this September… it’s my second Japan tour (the first tour was in 2012).  There are five shows this time (instead of four), and these will include my very first Tokyo show and a special live duo recording with bassist Shota Ishikawa, who is also on my live album A Live Celebration (recorded during the previous tour).

I have new originals and unusual repertoire choices already planned for the big trip.  And I’m looking forward to seeing what new surprises I will find in Japan this time; the food is always delicious and I’ll be taking the bullet train (Shinkansen) for the first time.

The tour is almost sold out; click here for more info.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of this beautiful summer.
Matt

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