Biography

Since moving to Astoria Queens in 2014, Matthew has maintained an active freelance career in the NYC area. His playing has included performances at Radio City Music Hall Birdland, Minton’s Playhouse, Rockwood Music Hall, Brooklyn Bowl, City Winery NYC, New York Fashion Week, as well as various Broadway theaters. Prior to relocating to the East Coast, past performances have included Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Vienne Jazz Festival, and Umbria Jazz Festival.  His main influences include Uan Rasey, Conrad Gozzo, Bernie Glow, Dick Perry, Wayne Bergeron, Jerry Hey, Chuck Findley, and Gary Grant, to name a few.

Matthew’s musical journey started in his hometown of Paxton Massachusetts where he started on percussion.  At the age of 10 his family moved to South Texas where he soon switched to the trumpet, and an affinity and passion quickly developed.  A major turning point occurred in the summer before his senior year of high school when with the encouragement of his parents, he attended a week-long jazz trumpet workshop at the acclaimed University of North Texas with special guest performer and educator Bobby Shew. 

After High School, Matthew enrolled at the University of North Texas where he would complete his Bachelors and Masters degree in Jazz Trumpet Performance.  His emphasis was on commercial and lead trumpet playing while studying with Jay Saunders.  During his time at UNT, he spent many years playing in the world-renowned Two O’clock and One O’clock Lab Bands. During those years the bands obtained two Grammy nominations for the One O’Clock Lab Band recording “Lab 2009”, various awards in Downbeat Magazine, toured some of the biggest jazz festival stages in Europe, and backed up jazz icon Dave Brubeck with his quartet.  In summer 2005, Matthew was also fortunate to be a part of the Disney All-American College Band in Anaheim CA. This also marked another milestone in his musical journey where we got to meet and learn from some of the top musicians in Los Angeles. While living in the North Texas region, he maintained a busy freelance schedule playing for various big bands, musical theater productions, as well as classical and church groups.

After finishing his Master’s Degree in 2009, Matthew joined Princess Cruise Lines as a trumpet player in a house orchestra.  He spent the next 5 years as a sideman and Music Director before winding up in New York City in 2014.  Since arriving in NYC he quickly established himself as a dependable and versatile trumpet player.  Although he most enjoys playing lead trumpet in big bands, Matthew has enjoyed playing in many symphony orchestras including the Garden State Philharmonic, Concert Pops of Long Island, and the Norwalk Symphony.  He’s also established himself as a well-rounded theater trumpet player, maintaining an active schedule as a sub on numerous Broadway and off-Broadway shows, as well as playing for multiple seasons for the Radio City Rockettes.

Matthew primarily plays Yamaha trumpets and flugelhorn, GR and Marcinkiewicz mouthpieces, and Soulo and Huber mutes.