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Take Five With Matt Davis

By AAJ Staff
January 3, 2014
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Meet Matt Davis:
Matt Davis is a guitarist, composer, arranger, and teacher based in New York. Davis has released three albums with his group, Aerial Photograph, and performs regularly around the tri-state area. JazzTimes and Downbeat have described his playing as "eloquent" and "inspired." Matt Davis has performed with many of the biggest names in jazz and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including the ASCAP and the American Composers Forum. He is a faculty member at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Recently, Davis received his Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music.

Instrument(s):
Guitar.

Teachers and/or influences?
Past teachers include Dennis Sandole, Pat Martino, Tom Giacabetti, Steve Giordano, Vic Juris, Chris Rosenberg, and Jack Wilkins.

Your sound and approach to music:
That's a hard one to describe! I try to be as sensitive and dynamic as I can inside the jazz tradition. I love be-bop and straight ahead jazz, but I also really love modern players that are active today. I think my approach to playing is a mix of all of these things.

Favorite venue:
I love playing at the Bar Next Door in NYC. It has an exceptionally encouraging atmosphere and a welcoming vibe. It's also a nice sounding intimate room.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?
I did a record called En Nuestros Viajes (Galta, 2012) with Mexican pianist Javier Resendiz. It's just a duet with Fender Rhodes. I absolutely love this record. We recorded all originals and really get deep into the art of duet playing.

Did you know...
I am the youngest of 7 kids and I grew up on a farm.

CDs you are listening to now:
Miles Davis, Miles Davis Quintet 1960 (The Montreux Jazz Label, 1960).

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:
Flea Marketer!

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