Matt Savage

Matt Savage, age 28, has had a remarkable 19-year professional career as a jazz musician, bandleader and composer with ensembles of different size. He’s played with some of the biggest names in jazz, including Chick Corea, the Ellington All Stars, Chaka Khan, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby Watson, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath, Jason Moran, Arturo O’Farrill, John Pizzarelli, Joshua Redman, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jon Faddis, Jerry Bergonzi and Donny McCaslin among others. He’s also opened for rock legends Neil Young and Stephen Stills, and has performed with Steve Earle, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin and Al Stewart. Along the way, he’s recorded twelve albums as leader and one as collaborator. He is a Bösendorfer piano artist.

As a composer, Matt has garnered respect and recognition. He composed and recorded the score for a full-length documentary film, Sound of Redemption: The Frank Morgan Story. The movie, which premiered in 2014, chronicles the life of the late jazz alto saxophonist Frank Morgan. Additionally, Savage wrote almost all the songs on his twelve albums, several of which have been used in short documentaries, on web sites, in school music curricula and in government educational materials.

Matt’s latest project is the Matt Savage Groove Experiment’s debut EP, Splash Variations. Splash Variations was released on December 7, 2018, and it was accompanied by a CD release tour in early 2019.

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Album Review

Splash Variations by Jack Bowers
A Bigger Celebration by Jack Bowers
Welcome Home by Jack Bowers
Quantum Leap by Michael P. Gladstone

“Savage has a warm and elastic touch, mixing confidence with pastel sounds.” GEORGE W. HARRIS, JAZZ WEEKLY “…the diversity of ‘Piano Voyages’ is astonishing – with originals suggesting influences from Keith Jarrett and Bill Evans to Chick Corea and George Winston alongside selected and clever interpretations of material by Wes Montgomery and The Beatles.” THE DAY, NEW LONDON, CT

“No one word could do justice to his performance; it was simply ‘beautiful.'” RYOTA KOJIMA, VOYAGE MAGAZINE, JAPAN

“…this is Savage’s album all the way, as he not only plays with a maturity well beyond his years but wrote and arranged every number…” ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM

“…Savage proves he’s no novelty act, as can be heard on his CD Welcome Home.” JAZZIZ

“…hints of Aaron Copland and Pat Metheny done in a piano trio setting that shows how hard-swinging a player Savage is.” CADENCE

“…a phenomenally talented pianist and composer who demands to be taken seriously on purely musical terms.” WALL STREET JOURNAL

“A wildly inventive composer, interpreter and pianist no matter what his age…Savage proves his maturity…” JAZZIZ

“He clearly knows what he is doing…not only as a hard bop/post-bop pianist, but also as a composer.” ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“This young man plays with grace, energy and originality

“No one word could do justice to his performance; it was simply ‘beautiful.'” RYOTA KOJIMA, VOYAGE MAGAZINE, JAPAN

“…this is Savage’s album all the way, as he not only plays with a maturity well beyond his years but wrote and arranged every number…” ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM

“…Savage proves he’s no novelty act, as can be heard on his CD Welcome Home.” JAZZIZ

“…hints of Aaron Copland and Pat Metheny done in a piano trio setting that shows how hard-swinging a player Savage is.” CADENCE

“…a phenomenally talented pianist and composer who demands to be taken seriously on purely musical terms.” WALL STREET JOURNAL

“A wildly inventive composer, interpreter and pianist no matter what his age…Savage proves his maturity…” JAZZIZ

“He clearly knows what he is doing…not only as a hard bop/post-bop pianist, but also as a composer.” ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“This young man plays with grace, energy and originality. Jazz Savant INDEED!” MARIAN MCPARTLAND

“You blew my mind. That was incredible!” CONAN O’BRIEN, host of “Late Night with Conan O’Brien”

“A jazz legend – at 15” AMERICAN WAY (2007)

“Jazz prodigy makes ‘Leap’ to maturity.” BOSTON HERALD

“As always, his amazing technique shines…” JAZZIZ

“…a schooled, seasoned jazz pianist…” JAZZTIMES

“…absolutely astonishing, refreshing and engaging…” ALL MUSIC GUIDE

“I am amazed at Matt’s musical ability at such an early age.” DAVE BRUBECK

“…he’s possessed of a remarkable talent…” JAZZIZ

“…is Matt Savage really that good? Does he deserve the hype and hoopla? In a word, yes… he’s an admirable jazz pianist, one whose age seems largely irrelevant…” ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM

“…brilliant” TIME MAGAZINE

“…jazz phenom Matt Savage unlocks a door to genius using 88 keys” PEOPLE MAGAZINE

“The Key Master.” “…he’s got command of the music and, most important, he’s got swing.” THE BOSTON GLOBE

“…delightful and inspiring…” CHICK COREA

“…the future of JAZZ” JIMMY HEATH

“Besides being an extremely gifted pianist and improviser, Matt has the musical instincts of a person many years older. To me this is the most incredible characteristic about Matt. Where did this come from? Wow! I can’t wait to hear him perform when his feet can reach the pedals.” BOBBY WATSON

“I was amazed at how talented he is. Amazing is the word I can tell you. I keep track of young talent in kids, and he’s the first one that I met that young that was THAT talented. He has such a musical mind that it isn’t music that he has to learn. It seems like he’s such an advanced musician in so many ways already at 8.” DAVE BRUBECK (2000)

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