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Take Five With Matt Slocum

By AAJ Staff
April 14, 2010
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Meet Matt Slocum:

"Matt Slocum's multicolored traps—at times forceful or delicate, creatively painting varied tempos with the essence of swing—define the drummer's debut, Portraits. Hailing from St. Paul, Minnesota, Slocum's introduction carries forward the torch of patriarchs

Max Roach

drums
1925 - 2007

" data-original-title="" title="">Max Roach and

Elvin Jones

drums
1927 - 2004

" data-original-title="" title="">Elvin Jones amongst others, but he also carves out his own rhythmic patterns with young contemporaries such as

Eric Harland

drums
b.1976

" data-original-title="" title="">Eric Harland and

Johnathan Blake

drums

" data-original-title="" title="">Johnathan Blake. Present day jazz is clearly not stagnate in the very good hands (and sticks) of Matt Slocum, a young drummer who plays with empathy and verve." Mark F. Turner, All About Jazz

Instrument(s):

Drums and cymbals.

Teachers and/or influences?

Teachers:

Peter Erskine

drums
b.1954

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Erskine, Phil Hey,

Joe La Barbera

drums
b.1948

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe La Barbera,

John Clayton

bass
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">John Clayton,

Alan Pasqua

piano
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Alan Pasqua,

Shelly Berg

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Shelly Berg.

Your sound and approach to music:

My favorite painter is Kandinsky. He understood and dealt with the balance, shades, and harmonic relationships of colors in a way that can inspire our musical approach as improvisers and composers. He was quoted as saying something along the lines of, "There is no must in art because art is free." As obvious as this seems, it is far too rarely the case. This is why hearing an artist

Paul Motian

drums
1931 - 2011

" data-original-title="" title="">Paul Motian is so refreshing. We don't know what's going to happen! But this approach doesn't even require an exceptionally "open" musical framework like those with which Mr. Motian is often associated. Even within a given stylistic context- for instance hearing

Lewis Nash

drums
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Lewis Nash or

Matt Wilson

drums
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Matt Wilson play a "straight-ahead" gig- the art can still be free, music of the moment, within that medium. I think that, as simple as this seems, it is something inspiring to work towards.

Your dream band:

Dream band, well... perhaps:

1.

Keith Jarrett

piano
b.1945

" data-original-title="" title="">Keith Jarrett,

Dave Holland

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Holland,

Bill Stewart

drums
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Stewart.

2.

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

Dave Holland

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Holland,

Roy Haynes

drums
1926 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Haynes.

3.

Hank Jones

piano
1918 - 2010

" data-original-title="" title="">Hank Jones,

Peter Washington

bass
b.1964

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Washington,

Lewis Nash

drums
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Lewis Nash.

Some artists that I really enjoy playing with

The gentlemen on the new record Portraits, (Chandra),-

Massimo Biolcati

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Massimo Biolcati,

Gerald Clayton

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Clayton,

Jaleel Shaw

saxophone, alto
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaleel Shaw,

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III,

Dayna Stephens

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Dayna Stephens.

Some artists who have inspired me and I would like to work with:

Brad Mehldau

piano
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Brad Mehldau,

Peter Bernstein

guitar
b.1967

" data-original-title="" title="">Peter Bernstein,

Joe Lovano

drums
b.1952

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Lovano,

Dave Holland

bass
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Holland,

Joe Locke

vibraphone
b.1959

" data-original-title="" title="">Joe Locke,

Lage Lund

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Lage Lund,

Kenny Barron

piano
b.1943

" data-original-title="" title="">Kenny Barron,

Fred Hersch

piano
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Fred Hersch,

Mike Moreno

guitar

" data-original-title="" title="">Mike Moreno,

Bill Charlap

piano
b.1966

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Charlap,

Cedar Walton

piano
1934 - 2013

" data-original-title="" title="">Cedar Walton,

Larry Goldings

organ, Hammond B3
b.1968

" data-original-title="" title="">Larry Goldings,

Kurt Rosenwinkel

guitar
b.1970

" data-original-title="" title="">Kurt Rosenwinkel,

Tom Harrell

trumpet
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Tom Harrell,

Bruce Barth

piano
b.1958

" data-original-title="" title="">Bruce Barth.

The first Jazz album I bought was:

There were three:

Miles Davis

trumpet
1926 - 1991

" data-original-title="" title="">Miles Davis, Cookin with the Miles Davis Quintet;

Clifford Brown

trumpet
b.1930

" data-original-title="" title="">Clifford Brown, Study in Brown;

and of course

Buddy Rich

drums
1917 - 1987

" data-original-title="" title="">Buddy Rich, Rich Versus Roach

Did you know...

My favorite trail race is the Mt. Wilson Trail Race in Sierra Madre, CA

CDs you are listening to now:

Danny Grissett

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Danny Grissett, Encounters (Criss-Cross);

Kendrick Scott

drums
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Kendrick Scott, Reverence (Criss-Cross);

Maurice Ravel, Ma mere l'oye;

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III, Live in Paris (Space Time Records);

Inga Swearingen

vocals

" data-original-title="" title="">Inga Swearingen, First Rain (Rhythome).

Desert Island picks:

This is way too hard. I mean, we have 160GB iPods now, right? I can't make it a closed list, but it would definitely have to include:

Chick Corea

piano
1941 - 2021

" data-original-title="" title="">Chick Corea, Now He Sings, Now He Sobs;

Bill Evans

piano
1929 - 1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Bill Evans, Sunday at the Village Vanguard;

Roy Haynes

drums
1926 - 2024

" data-original-title="" title="">Roy Haynes, Out of the Afternoon;

... and many more.

How would you describe the state of jazz today?

Full of possibilities. Like any serious art form in the US, however, it is a challenge to sustain a large audience outside of major metropolitan areas.

What is in the near future?

Just wrapped up the CD release tour dates for the new record Portraits featuring

Massimo Biolcati

bass
b.1972

" data-original-title="" title="">Massimo Biolcati,

Gerald Clayton

piano

" data-original-title="" title="">Gerald Clayton and special guests

Jaleel Shaw

saxophone, alto
b.1978

" data-original-title="" title="">Jaleel Shaw,

Walter Smith III

saxophone, tenor
b.1980

" data-original-title="" title="">Walter Smith III and

Dayna Stephens

saxophone, tenor

" data-original-title="" title="">Dayna Stephens. Then, back into sideman mode in and out of NY for the next few months. A lot of practicing and writing. Later this year, there may be a live record focusing mostly on standards released under my name. In 2011, there will be a new studio recording documenting more of my original compositions.

By Day:

Practicing, writing, listening, running, teaching drum students, riding my road bike, as well as spending time with friends.

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