Blog- February 2015

I still can’t believe that I’ll finish my graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music in just three months. It’s been a wildly exciting two years at school and I’m looking forward to playing with everyone even more after college.

And I have something else to announce… on Saturday, April 25, I’ll be playing at a major event for Autism Speaks called “Light Up the Blues.”  This concert will also feature Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Steve Earle, Shawn Colvin and more.  I’ll let you know more details as soon as I find out.  The trailer for the show is at youtube.com/watch?v=eJbJgSmMEDA and tickets go on sale February 27 on Ticketmaster: ticketmaster.com/light-up-the-blues-benefit-los-angeles-california-04-25-2015/event/0B004E4DDCE04FAA

I’ll be doing my Master’s recital at the end of the semester (also in April), but I should also let you know that two earlier gigs of mine have either been “renewed” or rescheduled for March.

My Lilypad (Cambridge, MA) performance will now be on Monday, March 2 at 7 PM. The earlier February date was canceled because of a snowstorm. But this will still be a duo show with Mark Zaleski, opening for Jerry Bergonzi and the Fringe.

And on Friday, March 20 at 7 PM, I’ll be back at Somethin’ Jazz Club with bassist Tom Berkmann and drummer Peter Retzlaff. This is during the last weekend ever at Somethin’ before the club’s temporary closing (due to a change in ownership).

Finally, I have the personnel confirmed for my Master’s recital- trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, alto saxophonist Patrick Bartley Jr., tenor saxophonist Ben Flocks, guitarist Mike Bono, bassist Tom Berkmann and drummer Curtis Nowosad. These musicians are all great players and good friends from Manhattan School of Music (MSM) and New York City in general. The show is Friday, April 10 at 8 PM at MSM’s Miller Hall.

All of my other performances are still going on, including a couple of major fundraiser events around the US (one of which is with a band of excellent jazz musicians in Virginia). I am also working on additional tour dates in California.

In short, it’s going to be an exciting spring.
Matt