Matt Richards

When describing Matt Richards' guitar style, the word jazz will be most often be combined with classical, Spanish, modern acoustic ? in fact, each term describes a different aspect of Matt's musical identity. Growing up in the culturally fertile cross-currents of the 1960s, Matt's musical pathway begins with the mix of folk, rock and psychedelic music that defined that decade. Eventually drawn into the electronic-laden jazz-rock of the 1970s, Matt began developing the technically advanced skill and musical abilities demanded by those styles.

Growing up in the culturally fertile cross-currents of the 1960s, Matt's musical pathway begins with the mix of folk, rock and psychedelic music that defined that decade. Eventually drawn into the electronic-laden jazz-rock of the 1970s, Matt began developing the technically advanced skill and musical abilities demanded by those styles. As his talent grew, Matt was drawn into straight-ahead jazz, classical and world music, playing acoustic guitars and a fretless guitar more frequently.

As a soloist, Matt has been featured on the cable television program Miles of Music with Bob Miles, on the Philadelphia-produced television series Puerto Rican Panorama and in the independent film Smoke And Mirrors. He has performed at the CoreStates and Mellon Jazz Festivals, the Naturist Society's Eastern and Midwestern Gatherings, National AIDS Awareness Day, Daniel Pearl Day, SUNOCO Welcome America celebrations and numerous clubs and venues. Matt has performed duets with guitarists Larry Coryell, Emiliano Pardo-Tristan and Sam Gorelik, violinist Joyell Washington and bassist Bill Zola, among others. He is also a founding member of the all-acoustic Language of 3 and Guitar Trio East.

As a sideman, Matt is featured on gospel vocalist Paul Middleton's CD Keep The Faith (1995) and rock/alternative artist Nate Hawk's Nathaniel Hawk (1994). Matt has worked in live performances with a broad range of artists, including vocalists Essra Mohawk and Julie Holtzman, bassist Starr Cullars, Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, saxophonists Bobby Zankel and Steve Oliver, pianists Elio Villafranca and John Conahan, organists Joey DeFrancesco and Herbie Nix, drummers Mike Clark, Kenwood Dennard, Marlon Simon and Adrian Velosin and percussionists Cafe and Pablo Batista.

A Freedom Foundation Fellowship nominee, Matt is a faculty member at Cheltenham Art & Music Center and the Academy of Community Music. He served as Head of Faculty at the FrankfordStyle School for Creative Arts for eight years. With his strong commitment to music education, Matt frequently conducts workshops and master classes in conjunction with his performances.

Currently, Matt has artist endorsements with Godin Guitars, EMG Pickups, John Pearse Strings and Zanaras Music cables and connectors.

In the summer of 2000, Matt released his first solo CD In This Single Moment on his own FingerMusic label and followed with his second release Dayside in 2004. Matt's third album, One In Mind, features live group, duo and solo recordings and was released in April of this year. Plans are in place to follow up with a jazz trio recording during early summer.