Other Lives
These are projects and roles Matt is very much involved with now, most of which revolve around his long career as a music educator.
Music Educator
Matt is a gifted and very experienced music educator. He's been on the Berklee College of Music piano faculty for just over 20 years and has honed his teaching skills to the highest level. Studying with Matt is both fun and quite effective. He specializes in teaching improvisation in nearly any style (Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Reggae, Pop, Rock, Funk, Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, Country, Singer/Songwriter, Soul/Neo soul), theory, technique, songwriting/composition, arranging, rhythm & groove, hand independence. His approach is rooted in blues and what he teaches from that can be applied to just about anything musical!
Art of Reggae
This is Matt's online membership educational platform for teaching reggae keyboards and guitar playing. (Guitar taught by Tuff Lion) It's a project of passion indeed. He skillfully deconstructs the specifics of playing this music and makes it very accessible to learn, while deeply honoring the Jamaican culture from which it arose.
For musicians of all skill levels, Art of Reggae offers top rankin’ and inspired lessons, courses, practice loops and curated playlists for guitarists and keyboardists that unlock the mysteries of this profound and transformational musical art form.
The Music and Life of Bob Marley class/ensemble
"Music is more than music." - Bob Marley
This one semester class at Berklee (that Matt has taught at other institutions and online) consists of 13 auditioned singers and instrumentalists who come from around the world. In a lecture-demonstration format, Matt takes the students on a biographical tour of Marley’s fascinating life, and then rigorously coaches the ensemble as they prepare for professional level performances. Aided by inspiring audio / video examples and class-wide discussions, students learn about the evolution of Marley’s career and the socio-political and spiritual circumstances from which his music and ideas arose. Students also learn the discipline of playing reggae music in a large ensemble where the emphasis is on working together as they layer specific rhythmic and melodic parts, one of the deepest legacies of music from the African diaspora.The story of Bob Marley’s life can be seen as one of a true modern day sage who remained committed to his vision of raising consciousness through music, truth and LOVE. His music is so powerful and expansive that it transcends the very idiom from which it came because it has the ability to communicate regardless of language, race, gender, religion or nationalistic boundaries.
Matt has written meticulous arrangements taken directly from Marley recordings and include some additional horn parts, some subtle reharmonizations and some new introductions and endings.
Ultimately, students take from this class a deeper understanding of Marley’s life, of how to play reggae music, a greater understanding of the inner workings of great pop song writing, a broader understanding of both current and historical global and local politics, and a notion to think seriously, through Marley’s example, about what it is they are saying with their own musical talents.
READ Matt's Introductory Notes where he discusses how he came to Marley and the core vibration from which he teaches the class.
Keyboard lessons videos
Art of Reggae videos
Bob Marley class videos
