Matt Owens

“Writing music brings me joy and a sense of wonder at how a whole piece can be created out of the tiniest spark of an idea; playing the bass keeps me grounded and in the moment.”

Matt Owens’ music has featured in films such as four times BAFTA Award winning film Patagonia and BIFA double-nominated film Albatross. His compositions have featured on a wealth of TV programmes around the world, including Top Gear, EastEnders and the hit TV series Arrow, while his is bass playing and arranging provides the foundation for many established artists’ recordings and live projects.

His studio is nestled in the hills of England’s Peak District National Park, whose majestic landscapes provide him with a constant source of inspiration. 

“Living in the countryside and spending time exploring the hills does give you a different sense of perspective. From up high you can see how places physically relate to each other in a way you don’t appreciate when you are in the valleys. You are also much more aware of the clarity of the light and gradual change of the seasons. I can feel how it all seeps into my writing.”

Matt cut his teeth as a bassist on Manchester’s fertile music scene, playing a diverse range of styles from jazz to salsa, from hip-hop to folk. This led him to work with artists such as The Herbaliser, Aim and Soweto Kinch, as well as Latin luminaries such as Larry Harlow (Fania Allstars), Jimmy Bosch and Ray de la Paz.

His passion for salsa music led him to co-write the music for the sell-out theatre show Cubanite starting a musical collaboration with singer-songwriter Kirsty Almeida which still remains strong to this day. Their work together has included a major record deal with Decca Records as well as working with renowned producer Youth and four times Grammy award winning engineer Jerry Boys.

In 2015 Matt released his debut album The Aviators’ Ball, combining a jazz quartet with a classical wind quartet. The album was critically acclaimed, described as “one of the most gorgeous albums you’ll hear this year” (Echoes Magazine) and featured BBC Folk Award Vocalist if the Year Ríoghnach Connolly. 

Highly regarded performances of Matt’s compositions include the 2009 Manchester Jazz commission Ten, his 2014 suite Keys for two keyboard instruments (including St Ann’s Church’s mighty church organ), bass and vocals and the 22-piece Latin big band La Gran Descarga, which had everyone on their feet for concerts at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall and Salford’s Lowry Theatre. 

Other longterm projects include the acoustic trio The Magic Beans and the madcap band Baked A La Ska, who he has written extensively for and produced their five studio albums.