Although exposed to classical tunes with piano lessons during childhood and playing the alto sax in Grade 9, none of that moved the needle. Hearing his dad spin endless vinyl through the floorboards to the tune of Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Whitney Houston, Neil Diamond and many others in his childhood, however, was the spark in Matty's musical fire. In his preteens, he was enthralled by the rhymes and rhythms and wordplay of Hip Hop and rap music, with Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and the Fat Boys kicking open a door in his subconscious mind. Lyrics have always been Matty's true north, and they provide the canvas for the rainbow-coloured paint spatter of his heart-sleeve songs. Whether he's firing up the machine with his ferocious five piece band, playing in a trio or duo with his talented side-players (AKA Tom Thompson on pedal steel and baritone electric guitar and Gideon Yellin on atmospheric electric lead), or completely exposed in a solo setting, Matty is a versatile performer who brings an earnest and passionate thunder and lightning along with somber ponderous post-storm thought-drizzle to every live setting.

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