"There are only two types of music - Good & Bad"
- Miles Davis
- Miles Davis
An accomplished musician, Matt's drumming has seen him play many places around the world - from Muscat to Middlesbrough, Spain to Switzerland, Jo'Burg to Germany, Norway to Norwich, Paris to Preston, Durham to Dubai!!! He has played with an eclectic range of performers; US Bluesmen Michael Roach & Johnny Mars, R&B legend Jimmy Thomas (of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue), Chicago Diva Angela Brown and Dublins finest Imelda May, Rock guitar hero Bernie Marsden (Whitesnake, Deep Purple etc.), UK indie darlings Ambershades, swing sensations King Pleasure & the Biscuit Boys and many more..
International & UK touring has seen Matt share the bill with a huge range of artists including Keane, The Wonderstuff, Courtney Pine, Pete Williams (Dexy's), Seafood, Jarvis Cocker, Jon Carter, David Holmes, Robben Ford, John Hammond, Taste, The Animals, The Blues Band, Popa Chubby, John Lee Hooker Jr. etc. ...
Growing up in the North East of England, Matt became interested in drums at a very early age. Encouraged by a Guitar playing Dad and Ginger Baker's drumming on a beat up copy of "The Best of Cream", he was soon drumming along to his favourite records on a practice pad with pair of warped sticks bought from the local music shop.
Taking lessons with former Lonnie Donnegan sideman, Pete Appleby, Matt studied Orchestral Percussion and went on to play for Cleveland County's leading Orchestra's. Around this time, he developed a healthy passion for all things Jazz, Blues and R&B.
Obsessed with the playing of the greats - Max Roach, Jim Keltner, Earl Palmer, Bernard Purdie, Ringo, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Charlie Watts, Steve Gadd, Hal Blaine, Micheal Shreive, Al Jackson Jr., and many many more, Matt made the decision to grow up & be a jobbing musician! Not sure if he actually grew up as such but he was soon playing with local bands in the Stockton area!!
Continuing lessons with Alan Turnbull, Matt attained Grade 8 from the Trinity School of Music in combined Percussion and did several Orchestral tours in Europe, all the while playing extensively locally mostly small Jazz gigs as well as developing session experience at local recording studios.
Landing in London in the mid-nineties, he formed cult mod band CASINO with brother Paul, Singer/Actor Danny Taylor & Bassist Gerard Ivall. The band were known for energetic live performances and were a popular draw on the national club circuit joining John Carter, Jarvis Cocker, Seafood & David Holmes at special event gigs. A line-up change brought with it a new name and TV exposure courtesy of Channel 4. THE LUCAS GROUP formed in 2001 with the addition of Dan Edwards & Dee Brophy on joint vocals, although the band didn't last much past the release of debut album I MUST TELL YOU THIS (Soup).
A brief stint at London's drum school, DRUM-TECH brought some more than valuable teaching, with expert tuition from some the UK's leading players and gave Matt a chance to indulge in some serious practice! Various gigs in the Jazz, Blues and R&B world followed including an adventurous Bop trio and a more classic sounding quartet. Also, gigs with old friend from home Danny McCormack, (THE finest boogie piano player in the UK!) led to various gigs with Jazz & Blues artists including UK R&B supergroup The Giant Killers. Jamming with blues guitarist Otis Grand put Matt in touch with swinging Doo-Wop band The Senti-Mentals with whom he toured the UK, which led to a partnership with Blues Guitarist Ben Smith with whom Matt now plays in the Blues Agents.
Various London based Singer/Songwriters called upon Matts services including Derek Hagan (Rockidle), Sarah Harrison and Aaron Short and his by now extensive studio experience began to open the doors at the capitals recording studios.
As with all hard working jobbing musos, Matt has been a bit of a musical chameleon, working with London's finest in your face Rock band, REVCOUNTER (the UK's answer to the MC5!) one day, then playing classic Doo-Wop the next with The Roomates, going to out to sea to play a season aboard a cruise ship then ... well, the list goes on..
Matt remains in demand by a wide variety of UK & international musicians, recent credits including guitar hero BERNIE MARSDEN (WHITESNAKE) and the excellent AMBERSHADES (supporting THE WONDERSTUFF on a UK tour), R&B legend JIMMY THOMAS, ANGELA BROWN, JOHNNY MARS, MICHAEL ROACH, DENNIS GRUENLING, RUSS GREEN, IMELDA MAY, KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS etc etc!
Matt continues to study music, drums & drumming and has been fortunate enough to receive tutoring from some of the UK's finest teachers including Justin Scott, Tom Meadows, Bosco D'Oliviera and Steve White.
DISCOGRAPHY includes the following:
The Michael Roach Band - Live at the BBC (BBC)
Jimmy Thomas - Live at the BBC (BBC)
Bernie Marsden - The Ironworks Sessions 2007 (Little House)
Bernie Marsden & his Band - Sampler 2008 (Little House)
Jimmy Thomas - NEW ALBUM RELEASED 2008
King Pleasure & the Biscuit Boys - HEY PUERTO RICO
(BigBear)
Tom Dick & Debbie - Family & Friends 2 (OUP)
Casino - Junction Morning/The Spinner (casino)
Casino - The Journey/Thursday's Child (casino)
The Watermelon Collective - Live at the BBC
The Lucas Group - Angeline/A Waste of Breath (TLG 7" only ltd edition release)
The Lucas Group - The Purpose/Chords (TLG)
The Lucas Group - Up To My Knees (TLG)
The Lucas Group - American Typewriter/Fractions (TLG)
The Lucas Group - I must Tell You This, Album (Soup) now available on iTunes
Pimp - PIMP (Gypsy Rose)
Tom Cowley - I Wanna Shout I'm Glad I'm Born (now available on iTunes)
Trellick - Towering Over Your Head (Aquarius)
Revcounter - Accelerate (Shrunken Head Records)
Aaron Short - My World (available on iTunes)
Aaron Short - People Make Mistakes EP (available on iTunes)
International & UK touring has seen Matt share the bill with a huge range of artists including Keane, The Wonderstuff, Courtney Pine, Pete Williams (Dexy's), Seafood, Jarvis Cocker, Jon Carter, David Holmes, Robben Ford, John Hammond, Taste, The Animals, The Blues Band, Popa Chubby, John Lee Hooker Jr. etc. ...
Growing up in the North East of England, Matt became interested in drums at a very early age. Encouraged by a Guitar playing Dad and Ginger Baker's drumming on a beat up copy of "The Best of Cream", he was soon drumming along to his favourite records on a practice pad with pair of warped sticks bought from the local music shop.
Taking lessons with former Lonnie Donnegan sideman, Pete Appleby, Matt studied Orchestral Percussion and went on to play for Cleveland County's leading Orchestra's. Around this time, he developed a healthy passion for all things Jazz, Blues and R&B.
Obsessed with the playing of the greats - Max Roach, Jim Keltner, Earl Palmer, Bernard Purdie, Ringo, Buddy Rich, Louie Bellson, Charlie Watts, Steve Gadd, Hal Blaine, Micheal Shreive, Al Jackson Jr., and many many more, Matt made the decision to grow up & be a jobbing musician! Not sure if he actually grew up as such but he was soon playing with local bands in the Stockton area!!
Continuing lessons with Alan Turnbull, Matt attained Grade 8 from the Trinity School of Music in combined Percussion and did several Orchestral tours in Europe, all the while playing extensively locally mostly small Jazz gigs as well as developing session experience at local recording studios.
Landing in London in the mid-nineties, he formed cult mod band CASINO with brother Paul, Singer/Actor Danny Taylor & Bassist Gerard Ivall. The band were known for energetic live performances and were a popular draw on the national club circuit joining John Carter, Jarvis Cocker, Seafood & David Holmes at special event gigs. A line-up change brought with it a new name and TV exposure courtesy of Channel 4. THE LUCAS GROUP formed in 2001 with the addition of Dan Edwards & Dee Brophy on joint vocals, although the band didn't last much past the release of debut album I MUST TELL YOU THIS (Soup).
A brief stint at London's drum school, DRUM-TECH brought some more than valuable teaching, with expert tuition from some the UK's leading players and gave Matt a chance to indulge in some serious practice! Various gigs in the Jazz, Blues and R&B world followed including an adventurous Bop trio and a more classic sounding quartet. Also, gigs with old friend from home Danny McCormack, (THE finest boogie piano player in the UK!) led to various gigs with Jazz & Blues artists including UK R&B supergroup The Giant Killers. Jamming with blues guitarist Otis Grand put Matt in touch with swinging Doo-Wop band The Senti-Mentals with whom he toured the UK, which led to a partnership with Blues Guitarist Ben Smith with whom Matt now plays in the Blues Agents.
Various London based Singer/Songwriters called upon Matts services including Derek Hagan (Rockidle), Sarah Harrison and Aaron Short and his by now extensive studio experience began to open the doors at the capitals recording studios.
As with all hard working jobbing musos, Matt has been a bit of a musical chameleon, working with London's finest in your face Rock band, REVCOUNTER (the UK's answer to the MC5!) one day, then playing classic Doo-Wop the next with The Roomates, going to out to sea to play a season aboard a cruise ship then ... well, the list goes on..
Matt remains in demand by a wide variety of UK & international musicians, recent credits including guitar hero BERNIE MARSDEN (WHITESNAKE) and the excellent AMBERSHADES (supporting THE WONDERSTUFF on a UK tour), R&B legend JIMMY THOMAS, ANGELA BROWN, JOHNNY MARS, MICHAEL ROACH, DENNIS GRUENLING, RUSS GREEN, IMELDA MAY, KING PLEASURE & THE BISCUIT BOYS etc etc!
Matt continues to study music, drums & drumming and has been fortunate enough to receive tutoring from some of the UK's finest teachers including Justin Scott, Tom Meadows, Bosco D'Oliviera and Steve White.
DISCOGRAPHY includes the following:
The Michael Roach Band - Live at the BBC (BBC)
Jimmy Thomas - Live at the BBC (BBC)
Bernie Marsden - The Ironworks Sessions 2007 (Little House)
Bernie Marsden & his Band - Sampler 2008 (Little House)
Jimmy Thomas - NEW ALBUM RELEASED 2008
King Pleasure & the Biscuit Boys - HEY PUERTO RICO
(BigBear)
Tom Dick & Debbie - Family & Friends 2 (OUP)
Casino - Junction Morning/The Spinner (casino)
Casino - The Journey/Thursday's Child (casino)
The Watermelon Collective - Live at the BBC
The Lucas Group - Angeline/A Waste of Breath (TLG 7" only ltd edition release)
The Lucas Group - The Purpose/Chords (TLG)
The Lucas Group - Up To My Knees (TLG)
The Lucas Group - American Typewriter/Fractions (TLG)
The Lucas Group - I must Tell You This, Album (Soup) now available on iTunes
Pimp - PIMP (Gypsy Rose)
Tom Cowley - I Wanna Shout I'm Glad I'm Born (now available on iTunes)
Trellick - Towering Over Your Head (Aquarius)
Revcounter - Accelerate (Shrunken Head Records)
Aaron Short - My World (available on iTunes)
Aaron Short - People Make Mistakes EP (available on iTunes)
