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Matt Garrison - Saxophone
Born on May 20th, 1979 in Poughkeepsie, New York, Matthew Gordon Garrison grew up in a household that was absent of the sounds of Miles, Coltrane, and other jazz musicians; instead the music of Doo Wop, 1960s rock and roll, and 1980s contemporary tunes found precedence.
Though Garrison's parents weren't musicians, he attributes his creativity and imagination to his mother (a superb quilter and crafts maker) and his technical and mathematical gifts to his father (a skilled draftsman and CADAM designer) as the core ingredients in his acumen as a jazz artist.
After taking an early interest in the saxophone in school, the spark was ignited, as well as some minor obstacles, as Garrison remembers humorously, "I started to get into trouble with some of my teachers for changing some of the music in the concert band while playing. I wanted to add my own ideas to the charts and that's when I started to get into the idea of improvisation."
Through hard work and determination, he excelled and went on to earn, both Bachelors and Masters degrees (including the Anthony Newman Award, given to one exceptional jazz major) at Purchase Conservatory of Music in Westchester New York where he studied with Javon Jackson, Ralph Lalama, Hal Galper, Todd Coolman, and Jon Faddis.
An aspiring musician who is coming into his own, Garrison has gigged with various players of notethe late Dennis Irwin, Pete Malinverni, Doug Munro, Neal Smith, Sam Yahel, Jeff Hirshfield, Jon Cowerd, Andy Laverneand was once in a band with trumpeter great, Ray Vega. Garrison continues to establish himself and thrive in a variety of settings and states, "I am never satisfied with stopping the search for a better way to express myself."
His pursuit has been witnessed in freelance performances at area venues in Albany at Justins, Philadelphia at Chris's Jazz Cafe, and the Jazz Standard and Smoke in New York City. His own music is coming into fruition with an upcoming album of original compositions featuring an illustrious band of seasoned and newer names with Michael Dease (trombone), Bruce Harris (trumpet), Zaccai Curtis (piano), Luques Curtis (bass), Rodney Green (drums), Claudio Roditi (trumpet / flugelhorn), and Mark Whitfield (guitar).
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Matt Garrison - Saxophone: Blood Songs
by Edward Blanco
Presenting a primarily original repertoire of sparkling modern jazz, New York saxophonist Matt Garrison follows up his critically acclaimed debut, Familiar Places (DCLEF, 2011), with Blood Songs, an audacious musical tribute to his loving parents. With the exception of producer/trombonist Michael Dease, Garrison assembles a new all-star list of players, including veterans like saxophonist Eric Alexander and trumpeter Greg Gisbert, who mix it up well with young, up-and-coming stars including pianist Roy Assaf and drummer Ulysses Owens, Jr.The ...
read morePrimary Instrument
Saxophone
Location
New York City
Willing to teach
Advanced only
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Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson