Matt McMahon (pianist)

Matt McMahon is an Australian jazz pianist[1] and composer.[2][3] Winning the 'Wangaratta National Jazz Piano Award' in 1999, and the 'Freedman Jazz Fellowship' in 2005 established his place in Australian jazz. In 2010 his trio supported the Wayne Shorter Quartet at Sydney Opera House. Additionally he has played or recorded with many known jazz artists[4][5] including Wynton Marsalis, Dale Barlow, Veronica Swift, Robert Hurst, Aaron Goldberg, Greg Osby, Phil Slater, Joseph Tawadros, Katie Noonan, Bobby Previte, Vince Jones, Dave Panichi and Steve Hunter. He has also performed with artists from a range of generic areas including Gurrumul, Sharon Shannon, Mary Coughlan, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Daorum, Elysian Fields, Jackie Orszaczky, Tina Harrod.

Three of the CDs he recorded with Joseph Tawadros won the Australian Recording Industry Award for the best New World Music Album.[6][7][8]

McMahon leads his own band 'The Matt McMahon Trio'[9] with bassist Jonathan Brown and drummer Simon Barker, and co-leads the "Band of Five Names" with trumpeter Phil Slater and drummer Simon Barker. He is the musical director for Australian jazz vocalist and trumpeter Vince Jones. He has performed at music festivals and venues in Australia and throughout the world , including the Lincoln Centre, The Cotton Club (Tokyo), Sydney Opera House, Wangaratta Festival of Jazz[10] and JazzNow Festival. He holds a PhD from Sydney University and teaches in the jazz department at Sydney Conservatorium of Music.

He is also a featured artist on the educational website for improvising musicians, jazztuition.com, alongside Simon Barker, Brett Hirst and Ken Stubbs.

Discography

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As a bandleader/co-leader

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  • Band of Five Names,1999 (co-lead with Phil Slater and Simon Barker)
  • Band of Five Names, Severance and Permitude, (Newmarket), 2003
  • Band of Five Names, Empty Gardens, (Kimnara), 2006
  • Paths and Streams, Kimnara 2007 (debut as a leader),
  • Ellipsis, Kimnara 2007[11]
  • The Voyage of Mary and William 2015.[12]
  • Matt McMahon & Carl Dewhurst, Trapeze For Two Atoms,

As a sideman

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References

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  1. ^ "Concert review: Tognetti and Tawadros add a touch of spice to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons". Daily Telegraph.
  2. ^ John Shand (2009). Jazz: The Australian Accent. UNSW Press. pp. 234–. ISBN 978-1-921410-14-7. (many references to McMahon in this book)
  3. ^ The Bulletin. J. Haynes and J.F. Archibald. January 2005.
  4. ^ Graybow, Steve (23 December 2000). "Jazz Blue Notes". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 33. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ^ "CD Shorts". johnshand.com.au.
  6. ^ Creagh, Sunanda (28 March 2013). "Oud player keeps good company". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  7. ^ "ARIA NOMS + FINE ARTS & ARTISAN WINNERS - 27th ARIA Awards 2013". Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Food Australia: Official Journal of CAFTA and AIFST. Council of Australian Food Technology Associations. 2005. p. 411.
  10. ^ "Looking for Jazz? Briana Cowlishaw gives you Jazz Fever". AussieTheatre.com.
  11. ^ "Ellipsis" John Shand, reviewer, Sydney Morning Herald, May 4, 2007
  12. ^ "Matt McMahon; Seasick Steve; Brodinski". The Australian, March 21, 2015
  13. ^ Chris McNulty. "Album review by Chris McNulty: Mandarin Skyline – 'an outstanding, creative accomplishment' - AustralianJazz.net". AustralianJazz.net.
  14. ^ "Naxos Classical Music - Naxos Album Reviews". naxos.com.
  15. ^ "'Casualty' Natalie Dietz". 13 March 2023.
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