Born in Los Angeles and raised in Venice and Santa Monica, California, Matthew Silberman has been around music his entire life. Since being in utero he was attending his mother's opera performances.
Silberman began his formal musical training at age 6, taking piano lessons. After a few years his interest in the piano waned, only to be supplanted by the clarinet at 9.
The summer of his 13th year, his father introduced him to the music of Charlie Parker. Although he had been listening to jazz for years since “borrowing” his dad's “Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk” album, it was Bird who created the desire in him to learn to play jazz. At the suggestion of his mother, Matthew Silberman took home one of his school's alto saxophones, and taught himself to play it.
After several months he began studying with Bill Green during the L.A. great's twilight. Two years later, Matthew started attending the prestigious Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. He honed his skills playing in the big band and combo, and spending hours and hours in the practice room. It was during this period that Matthew also began composing.
Going to jam sessions, taking private lessons with Jeff Clayton and Ben Wendel, and performing as a member of the L.A. Multi-School Jazz Band were invaluable to his musical development. After taking a year off to practice and gig, Silberman moved to New York City to attend the New School University Jazz and Contemporary Music Program, from which he graduated in December 2004.
Described as a “promising young saxophonist” by Don Heckman of the L.A. Times, Matthew has performed with Billy Higgins, Nancy Wilson, Roy Hargrove, Gregory Tardy, Robert Hurst, Buddy Collette, Vincent Herring, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, Bobby Watson, Patrice Rushen, Sabir Mateen, Bobby Sanabria, and contemporaries such as Kneebody, Logan Richardson, Tommy Crane, Greg Ruggiero, Frank LoCrasto, Chris Tordini, Jonathan Finlayson, Tyshawn Sorey, Mike Pinto, Becca Stevens, Nir Felder, and Alan Hampton among many others.
He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, and plays with many groups as well as doing freelance gigs and recording. Matthew leads his own bands, and is a member of Merry Poppins, Receiver, and The Prigs. He also frequently callaborates with Fisticuffs, Via Audio, Brian Bonz, Krystle Warren, and Inlets.
