Matt McMahon profile picture

Matt McMahon

About Me

Matt McMahon is a pianist/keyboardist /composer based in Australia. He leads his own groups and co-leads "Band of Five Names" with Phil Slater and Simon Barker. Matt won the national Jazz award in 1999, and the Freedman Jazz Fellowship for 2005. He has played/recorded with Dale Barlow, Greg Osby, Phil Slater, Katie Noonan, Vince Jones, Bobby Previte, Dave Panichi, Steve Hunter, Jazzfolk, Guy Strazz etc, and played concerts and festivals throughout Australia and Asia.I've just released my second album, Ellipsis, with my trio - Jonathan Brown on the bass and Simon Barker on the drums. We play mostly my pieces. The Sydney Morning Herald said"after about 15 years on the scenehe released his first solo album, "Paths and Streams", .It was one of the half-dozen best releases of 2006. Now "Ellipsis, the first release by his long term trio finally emerges and it is stunning... the music is as good as any current piano-trio jazz." John Shand.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 10/29/2006
Band Website: www.kimnara.com.au
Band Members: Matt McMahon Trio Matt McMahon - piano- Jono Brown - bass, Simon Barker - drums.

Paths and Streams Project - Phil Slater - trumpet, James Muller gtr, Brett Hirst - bass, Simon Barker drums, Michele O'Young violin, Huy Nguyen Bui - violin, Leah Zweck - viola, Andrew Hines - cello.

Band of Five Names - Phil Slater trumpet/laptop, Simon Barker - drums, Matt McMahon -piano/keyboards.

I'm currently also playing with/ recently played with: Steve Hunter Group, Phil Slater Quartet, Dao Rum, Peter Scherr's Jazzfolk, Vince Jones, Katie Noonan, Mark 4 (Mark Harris), Tina Harrod, Sean Coffin Quintet, Guy Strazz, Dave Panichi, Lucinda Peters, Virna Sanzone, Roger Manins, among many others.
Influences:
Sounds Like: My album "Paths and Streams" was made courtesy of the Music Council of Australia Freedman Fellowship for 2005. A lot of my influences are represented on the album since I play compositions from many people I've been associated with. My teachers - Mike Nock and Peter Sculthorpe have compositions represented. I play a piece written by my brother Michael and also songs written by singers Robyne Dunn and Vince Jones (with whom I co-wrote this piece). Some mentors who have had me in their bands - Steve Hunter, Guy Strazz have their pieces too. My jazz mates Phil Slater, James Muller, Cameron Undy, and Sean Wayland all have compositions on there. All of these people, and many other musicians (Adam Ponting, Jason Cooney etc.) been huge influences on my musical thinking over years of conversations, tours and recordings. I love a lot of the regulars too - Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Kenny Kirkland, Ravel, Messian, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, The Beatles, The Bothy Band , Morton Feldman etc.
Record Label: Kimnara
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

My Radio Program on Eastside radio with Dan Barnett

I co-present a radio program"Blow"(with my good mate Dan Barnett) every thursday between 2 and 4 pm on Eastside Radio 89.7fm here in Sydney.  We play jazz and related music. I have a ha...
Posted by on Sat, 10 Feb 2007 00:10:00 GMT