“Contemporary, original, yet still based on those vital ingredients – harmony, melody and rhythm all knit sympathetically together… a fine example of where it’s at… Recommended” Lance Liddle, bebop spoken here
“Play[s] with a maturity surprising in one so young.” Mike Gordon, Scarborough Jazz Festival
Matt Anderson is a tenor saxophonist and composer based in Leeds, England whose playing and writing have been described as “relaxed and elegant, but with wholehearted conviction.” (Leeds Guide) A past member of the Jazz Yorkshire Futures scheme, he was also awarded Young Musician of the Year in the Jazz Yorkshire Awards 2010. His music is informed by the great tradition of jazz saxophonists all the way from Sonny Rollins to Chris Cheek, whilst he also takes interest in contemporary approaches to rhythm, harmony, melody and form.
Matt moved to Leeds in 2007 to study on the BA (Hons) Jazz course at Leeds College of Music, where he studied with Joel Purnell, Tori Freestone and Jez Franks, among others, graduating in 2010 with First Class Honours and also receiving the Sam Hood Rosebowl for Outstanding Performance. He has since studied with Iain Ballamy and Stan Sulzmann.
Since graduating from LCoM, Matt has gone on to work with many of his former tutors, currently appearing in bands led by Jiannis Pavlidis, Mark Donlon, Jamie Taylor and Jamil Sheriff. The Matt Anderson Quartet toured nationally in 2012, with JazzUK commenting “melodic standards and original tunes… impressive throughout,” and his new project the Wild Flower Sextet: Celebrating Wayne Shorter will start making appearances in 2013.