Matt was the Rising Young Star Award winner at the Prince Edward C0lunty Jazz Festival in 2013. He has a bachelor's degree in jazz performance from the University of Toronto, and a master's from the Manhattan School of Music.
You've played in some pretty iconic New York clubs. Who did you play with, and what was it like playing at Birdland, the Blue Note, and Dizzy's Club?
I've been lucky to play at these great venues with some fantastic musicians. Birdland was actually through Manhattan School of Music and I was a part of a big band featuring Jane Monheit on vocals. We had a residency there every night that week. The Blue Note was with singer Jamie Cullum and Dizzy's Club was with the Kyle Athayde Dance Party. That band is actually releasing an album on December 15th (2021) which I'm excited to hear. I was in awe of the history behind each venue and who had stood on that stage previously. After that moment, all thoughts turn to the music and the moment of awe fades into concentrating on music of the moment, at least for me.
I've been lucky to play at these great venues with some fantastic musicians. Birdland was actually through Manhattan School of Music and I was a part of a big band featuring Jane Monheit on vocals. We had a residency there every night that week. The Blue Note was with singer Jamie Cullum and Dizzy's Club was with the Kyle Athayde Dance Party. That band is actually releasing an album on December 15th (2021) which I'm excited to hear. I was in awe of the history behind each venue and who had stood on that stage previously. After that moment, all thoughts turn to the music and the moment of awe fades into concentrating on music of the moment, at least for me.
Tell me about your debut album. What is the inspiration, and how does it reflect your ideas about jazz on sax?
The idea behind "Forward" came from a meditation idea. I had started meditation the year before I recorded my album and stumbled upon the idea of mantras or more specifically one-word mantras. One day during a meditation session the word "Forward" popped into my head and stayed with me in future meditations for many months. I was going through a transitional period in my life with some difficulties and wanted to move forward with my life and career so I started writing some compositions with the intent to record an album, and I did.
In terms of how it reflected my ideas of jazz on saxophone I look at it from the perspective that my ideas on saxophone influenced the music and music writing process. At that point in my life I had spent so much time in school and this was the first extended "breathing" moment I could take to gather my ideas on the saxophone and organize them into a structured way.
mattworoshyl.com/music
How are you surviving the pandemic? How has it changed what you do?
My pandemic experience has been better than most of what I hear. Financially I was still able to teach music virtually and earn enough of an income to survive, and I also have to mention that CERB and eventually CRB were life-savers. Now that performances have started up again things are starting to feel closer to normal, but it's going to take a while for recovery to get well under way. What's changed the most for me and what I do is the online nature of everything, and I mean everything. I was fortunate to perform for the Bravo Niagara Festival of the Arts with Larnell Lewis, Dione Taylor, Robi Botos and Mike Downes in a virtual, pre-recorded performance that was broadcasted for International Jazz Day back in April. The extent to which everything was virtual and isolated really hit home that times are not the way they used to be.
I see on your website you are trying to help other musicians who've been hit hard. Why?
I feel that musicians/artists have so much to offer, especially during a global pandemic. I knew times were tough for my craft and I knew that there were thousands and thousands of others that felt the same way, so I found links for colleagues and artists that I personally love and shared links to their projects so that others that check out my website could follow and support these other artists.
What are your goals in jazz? Where would you like to be five, ten years from now?
My goals are to release a lot more music and be even more engaged in the Toronto and Canadian music scenes. I would also love to have the privilege of one day working at a university full-time teaching music. I wish to see my passions of both creating music and educating take leaps forward in the next few years.
Could you reflect on your time at the PEC Jazz Festival? Was it important in your development?
The PEC Jazz Festival was an incredibly welcoming experience, from the bed & breakfast where I stayed to all of the organized shows I was a part of, I felt that it was an incredibly positive experience, where I was performing with some of the country's greatest musicians every single day. It was all vital to my musical development, especially as a younger musician. I have nothing but great things to say about my time at the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival.
I feel that musicians/artists have so much to offer, especially during a global pandemic. I knew times were tough for my craft and I knew that there were thousands and thousands of others that felt the same way, so I found links for colleagues and artists that I personally love and shared links to their projects so that others that check out my website could follow and support these other artists.
What are your goals in jazz? Where would you like to be five, ten years from now?
My goals are to release a lot more music and be even more engaged in the Toronto and Canadian music scenes. I would also love to have the privilege of one day working at a university full-time teaching music. I wish to see my passions of both creating music and educating take leaps forward in the next few years.
Could you reflect on your time at the PEC Jazz Festival? Was it important in your development?
The PEC Jazz Festival was an incredibly welcoming experience, from the bed & breakfast where I stayed to all of the organized shows I was a part of, I felt that it was an incredibly positive experience, where I was performing with some of the country's greatest musicians every single day. It was all vital to my musical development, especially as a younger musician. I have nothing but great things to say about my time at the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival.