Artist description BIO Matt Mitchell, born in Phoenix Arizona in 1970, received his earliest musical training in classical piano from the ages of 8-13. He picked up guitar in 1984 playing mostly psychedelic rock, blues and heavy metal. He was first exposed to jazz and classical guitar through two classes at his high school in 1987-8. Moving to Tucson Arizona in 1989, Matt soon attended the University of Arizona, getting heavily into classical and jazz guitar. In the years 1992-4, he placed 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the U of A's Schaeffer Memorial Classical Guitar Competition. After college, he embarked on a career as a professional musician. In 1995, he was the recipient of Tucson Jazz Society's Young Artist Award. Matt has been honored by the TAMMIES (Tucson Area Music Awards) numerous times, most recently with top standing in the Traditional Jazz Category in 2000. As an individual, he was nominated (a $1K award in itself) for the 2002 ARIZONA ARTS AWARD ($24K award) sponsored by the Community Foundation of Southern Arizona. The Arizona Arts Award is the state's largest unrestricted award to an individual artist. Matt is often a judge at various U of A classical guitar competitions including the Schaeffer Memorial Classical Guitar Competition 2001 and the Stevens Classical Guitar Competition 2001. Since 1997, Matt has been playing both electric and acoustic seven-string guitars (low A). He's played and taught all sorts of styles for many years. He has a complete home recording studio and can produce entire CD's from the recording itself to the design and manufacturing of the final product. He has produced some of his own recordings, many including his own compositions. He has been making a living playing jazz almost exclusively since 1995. His diverse musical background includes work in jazz, rock, latin, klezmer, funk, r&b, hip-hop, heavy metal, pop and avant-garde bands in addition to being an outstanding solo jazz and classical guitarist. Past and current bands include the Mitchell-Friedland Duo (7-string guitar, piccolo bass), Slop (7-string guitar/loops, drums, tenor sax), The Mitchell-Ronstadt Duo (jazz vocal, guitar), el creepy (heavy metal klezmer; guitar, bass, drums), Bandye (freestyle hip hop; MC, guitar, bass, drums), The Borderlands Klezmer Band (guitar, clarinet, violin, bass, voice), The Harris-Mitchell Duo (drums, 7-string guitar), Mitchell-Wagner Duo (7-string guitar, tenor sax), The Blue Monks (guitar, bass, drums), The Friends of Shooby Taylor (7-string guitar/loops, drums, tenor sax/keys, bass), The Matt Mitchell Trio (7-string guitar, bass, drums).

Music Style jazz

Musical Influences GUITAR: Lenny Breau, Jimi Hendrix, Barney Kessel, The Assad Bros., Django Reinhardt, Charlie Hunter, Nels Cline, Jerry Reed, Phil DeGruy, Joe Morris, Bireli Lagrene, Derek Bailey , Angus Young, EVERYTHING ELSE: Thelonious Monk, J.S.Bach, Dave Douglas, Balkan music, The Shaggs, Louis Armstrong, Klezmer music, John Coltrane, Shooby Taylor

Instruments 7 string guitar

Albums ALBUMS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER (Most recent recording is first) 1.THE FRIENDS OF SHOOBY TAYLOR ~ LIVE AT THE MAT BEVEL INSTITUTE (03/01) Slop + bass = this weird shit. (Matt Mitchell/ 7 string guitar, loops; Jeremy Patfield/ tenor sax; Aaron Bonsall/ drums; Ed Friedland/ 5 string electric bass) [78:47] 2.MATT MITCHELL ~ TALKING TO MYSELF ('98 - '00) All guitar recordings using 2-6 tracks overdubbed. Performed on 6 and 7 string electric and acoustic guitars. Includes compositions by Charles Mingus, Kenny Werner, Lee Konitz, Mulgrew Miller, and a few standards and originals. [53:38] 3.SLOP ~ LIVE AT THE MAT BEVEL INSTITUTE (12/99) This was my most avant garde project-This is flavor injected jazz with a strong funky smell. (Matt Mitchell/ 7 string guitar, loops; Jeremy Patfield/ tenor sax; Aaron Bonsall/ drums) [70:25] 4.coming soon---MATT MITCHELL TRIO ~ MUSIC TO LISTEN TO MATT MITCHELL BY (11/99) Recorded by and for KUAZ jazz radio. Matt plays bebop and originals with Tucson's finest rhythm section. (Matt Mitchell/ 7 string guitar; Ed Friedland/ acoustic, 5 string electric bass; Fred Hayes/ drums) [??:??] 5.MITCHELL-WAGNER DUO ~ TWO'S BLUES ('98,'99) Standards interpreted by the 7 string guitar/ tenor & alto sax duo of Matt Mitchell and Ron Wagner. [42:36] 6.HARRIS-MITCHELL DUO ~ WHA'S'IS? ('98) Drum kit and 7 string guitar, loops duo playing jazz, funk, latin, and original music. Influences include Charlie Hunter, John Scofield, Thelonious Monk. [39:05] 7.THE BORDERLANDS KLEZMER BAND ~ DEMO ('97) This is a fun, traditional klezmorim with a '30's swing edge. This collection is a demo only with tracks averaging 30 seconds.(Jay Vosk/ clarinet, Mike Fan/ violin, Louise Schloss/ voice, Matt Mitchell/ acoustic guitar, Jeff Holsen/ acoustic bass) [14:06]

Location Tucson, AZ - USA

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