Primary Instrument: Guitar
Matt Panayides is an exploratory jazz guitarist. Born in Cincinnati and raised in Indianapolis, he has been leading his own groups in New York for more than 10 years. He has performed in many well-known NYC clubs such as Birdland, Smalls, Smoke, Cleopatra’s Needle, Shrine, Fat Baby, Sidewalk Café, The Underground Lounge, The American Legion and Detour. His compositions consist of sophisticated harmonies and compound rhythms which meld together into a picture which feels both unforced and fresh. His compelling melodies remain singable and uncomplicated. These songs offer a distinctive foundation upon which musicians can improvise. Mr. Panayides has performed or recorded with some great musicians including Mulgrew Miller, Jane Monheit, Clark Terry, Salino Clark, Darren Barrett, Kevin Mahogany, Alec Haavik, Dan Weiss, Rich Perry, Steve LaSpina, Nick Kadajski, Travis Sullivan, Joe Abbatantuono, Ferit Odman, Christos Rafalides, Chris Varga, Jongdae Oh, Kenji Omae Matt Vashlishan and Bob Sabin. Matt has recently recorded his first album as a leader with Rich Perry on tenor saxophone, Steve LaSpina on bass and Dan Weiss on drums. The album features his original compositions. The album is set to be released in January 2011 on the record label Pacific Coast Jazz. It is currently available for download on I-tunes and Amazon. In 2008 Matt finished his Masters in Jazz Performance at William Paterson University. His master’s thesis entitled: “Towards the Creation of a New Jazz Guitar Pedagogy” details the organizational approaches of three influential jazz guitarists. Mr. Panayides graduated from Manhattan School of Music in 2000 with a degree in jazz guitar performance. While attending this renowned institution he was mentored by Rodney Jones and studied with Chris Rosenberg and Gary Dial.
