PROJECTS
 

The new album

'An Oscar Moment'

A project celebrating the life and music of Jazz Pianist Oscar Peterson.

Matt's Trio comprises for this project:

• Jim Cammack double bass,

• Jerome Jennings drums

• Brianna Thomas voice

JAZZ SINGERS MASTERCLASS

‘GETTING THE BEST OUT OF YOUR MUSICIANS’

The secrets to how successful singers get the best out of their accompanists and bands.
Skills and techniques only learnt through years of experience, the workshop is designed to be practical ‘on the gig’ training.

All vocalists will be invited to sing with the band and put their new skills into practice.

Topics include (and would be decided in advance):

* Counting in tempos and correctly communicating the feel of the song.
* Not just singing with, but "swinging" with the band.
* Intro’s, endings and the common on the spot arrangements singers and musicians adopt.
* How to really lock in with the band, and not just sing over them.
* Phrasing and scatting – it's a lot easier than you think !
* Talk "Musician" – learn the jazz jargon all instrumentalists use on the bandstand.
* All the hand and eye signals musicians are waiting for you to give them!
* Chart writing and arrangements.

Duration: Suggested 4 hours.

Matt Baker - New York Vocal Coach:

Aside from being a solo artist, Matt Baker is an in-demand vocal coach and one of the most sought after accompanists and music directors on the New York scene. 

Matt has worked with many star vocalists including Judy Collins, Tierney Sutton, Barb Jungr, Christine Ebersole, Patrizio Buanne and Marilyn Maye, as well as New York jazz vocalists Alexis Cole, Emily Braden, Brianna Thomas, Bria Skonberg, Molly Ryan, Nancy Harms and Pucci Amanda Jhones. He also studied with Ella Fitzgerald’s lifelong accompanist Paul Smith.

He specializes in preparing singers for jazz performances, shows, recordings and open mics. A lot of this vital ‘behind the scenes’ work includes helping vocalists with chart writing and arrangements, phrasing and lyric interpretation, how to groove and lock in with the band, finding the right key, and learning how to communicate correctly with the band with intro’s, outros, trading, scatting and counting off songs.

Matt has also studied Jazz voice privately with New York’s Peter Eldridge (New York Voices member, Head of Jazz Voice at Manhattan School of Music, Jane Monheit’s teacher), Matt Farnsworth, Deric Rosenblatt, Marion Cowings (Harry Connick Jr), Neal Tracy, and Australia’s Kerrie Biddell.