Matt Finley
Jazz Composer & Performer
Multi-instrumentalist Matt Finley has played professionally for over 60 years and has performed and recorded with many of the finest jazz musicians in the world. He studied composition with Edgar Curtis, Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra. A CD of Matt's compositions, "Brazilian Wish" has garnered international recognition, and two of his compositions were finalists at the 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards. He is featured on eleven CDs released since 2006. In 2013, Matt orchestrated and performed four of his Brazilian jazz compositions in concert with the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra. He was a soloist and composer in the North Country Jazz Project and led his own concert band, Rio JAZZ, for 31 years. He is Director of the Smithfield Chamber Orchestra for special services at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church in Amenia, NY. Matt is a retired professor of computer information systems and former dean of academic affairs at Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, NY, where he occasionally directed the brass choir and the jazz ensemble, and taught in four academic departments. He lives in Pine Plains, NY and Diamond Point, NY on Lake George.
Matt is a native of Bolton (on Lake George), New York. He graduated from Union College, where he led a combined Union/SUNY Albany/RPI Jazz Workshop to the finals of the American College Jazz Festival. Matt earned his master's degree from the College of Saint Rose and is permanently certified to teach music in New York State. He performed for many years with Grammy-winning baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola and was a featured trumpet soloist and arranger with the Albany Jazz Workshop, composed of top professionals in New York's Capital District. As associate dean and acting dean of academic affairs at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York, Matt received the 1998 Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Professional Service, the highest award bestowed by the State University of New York. He also holds the college record for teaching courses in the largest number of academic departments and taught as an adjunct lecturer for ten years after retirement. He currently serves on the Advisory Board for the DCC Academy of Music. For many years, Matt accomplished his goal of learning to play a new instrument every year to improve his composing and arranging abilities. Not only a multi-instrumentalist, he is in demand as a composer, arranger, sound engineer and studio sideman. Matt has served as guest clinician for the Dutchess County All-County High School Jazz Festival, and performed by his original compositions by invitation at the Temecula (California) International Jazz Festival. He is a Life member of American Federation of Musicians Local 238 and is a principle user of the Music Performance Funds to promote live music in concert. Performance gear includes a Kanstul Signature 1525 flugelhorn, Shires Destino III Bb trumpet, Shires C trumpet, Schilke XA1 cornet, Schilke P5-4 piccolo trumpet, Yamaha Custom F/G trumpet, Yamaha 675 soprano sax, Powell soprano flute, Emerson alto flute, and a Jenco vibraphone. Matt uses GR mouthpieces (66MS on trumpets, 66FL with French taper on flugelhorn) and Yanagisawa (soprano) metal 3 sax mouthpiece. Member, International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers. Matt has played trumpet in the jazz solo chair in many big bands: Albany Jazz Workshop; North Country Jazz Project; DCC Jazz Ensemble; Bridge Arts Community Jazz Band; and others. Matt recently led Rio JAZZ, a Brazilian jazz concert sextet he formed in 1988 featuring recording artists Peter Tomlinson, Jeff Ciampa, Don Miller, Tomas Martin Lopez, Joel Rosenblatt and more than fifty outstanding world-class jazz performers over a thirty-one year span ending in 2018. Matt is musical director for his wife, singer/songwriter Denise Jordan Finley for her larger-scale projects. They live in New York's Mid-Hudson Valley and in Bolton on Lake George. Matt may be heard performing, arranging and directing instrumental performances of special services at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church in Amenia, New York. This little church offers a superior minister and some phenomenal musicians who comprise The Smithfield Church Chamber Orchestra. Matt's 2006 CD, "Brazilian Wish" on the Kingsmill Music label features his original jazz sambas and bossa novas, played by some of the best musicians in the world! Matt has performed with Nick Brignola, Bill O'Connell, Kenny Blake, Brad Upton, Dave Holland, Glen Moore, Jack DeJohnette, Joel Rosenblatt, Richie Morales, Mark Egan, Pete Levin, Nigel Kennedy, Mike DeMicco, Danny Gottlieb, Leo Traversa, Jeff Ciampa, Peter Tomlinson, Larry Ham, Tomas Martin Lopez, Don Miller, Lou Pappas, Bob Shaut, Paul Duffy, Ruben Rodriguez, Jeff Siegel, John Menegon, Peter Einhorn, Vinny Martucci, Terry Silverlight, Dave Stahl, Harvey Tibbs, Mike Holaber, Doug Sertl and many other world-class musicians. Notable performance venues include the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Troy Music Hall, Bardavon 1869 Opera House, Poughkeepsie Civic Center, Sagamore Hotel, The Falcon Arts Center, and the Woodstock Playhouse among others. Special credit goes to Matt's late brother, Sherwood Finley, a phenomenal trumpet talent who taught him how to play and who sheparded a little brother into the world of jazz gigs. He is greatly missed. Awards: Trivia:
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Biography