Matt M. was born in Lowell, Massachusetts and found an interest in music as soon as his mom started playing songs through her belly with headphones and a record player. He moved down to Austin, Texas at the age of three where he continued to experiment with toy pianos and banging pots and pans.
At ten years old he discovered an enthusiasm for guitar and saxophone. Picking up those instruments for a couple of years brought him to playing drum set, jamming with his brother and friends, and listening to all sorts of music. His experience advanced in High School as he enjoyed playing in the jazz band, performing at different venues, and catching concerts.
When he graduated from High School, Matt decided to pursue his devotion towards music and enrolled in The University of North Texas. While attending he developed his craft on saxophone, drums, guitar, and worked on his technique with clarinet, flute, and piano. He also played in various ensembles and lab bands under the...

I have been playing guitar since August 1992. I cut my teeth on the alternative music that was popular at the time (Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Nirvana) but soon began to focus on earlier movements, specifically the playing styles and mindsets of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. I formed a band in 1996 and began gigging in Austin and throughout Texas. During this time, I immersed myself in jazz and did everything I could to bring the sonic palettes of Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis into my playing, even taking up saxophone and piano in order to better understand what they were doing.

I eventually moved back to my home town of Lubbock, where I graduated from Texas Tech University with a BA in English with a minor in Music, having played guitar and saxophone in the Jazz Band in addition to taking several classes in theory. During this time, I was giving private lessons in Lubbock and setting up arts education programs at the Lubbock Boys &...