Matthew Halsall Interview

This week we have an interview with Manchester trumpeter, composer, arranger, DJ, producer and band leader, Matthew Halsall. Playing since the age of 6, with a new album coming out right about now and an upcoming date in London, Matthew is definitely a man worth knowing. Read on

First of all tell us a bit about yourself:
Well I’m a 26 year old jazz trumpeter/composer/arranger/dj and producer.

Listening to your album, Sending My Love, I was immediately reminded of a lot of my favourite older jazz albums that have real groove. I think a lot of modern jazz is either really trying to prove a point about how rewarding jazz can be if you make the effort, by being a bit inaccessible, or goes the other way and dumbs down what jazz is all about. You definitely straddle those two stances admirably. Who are your jazz heroes?
There are so many, but to name a few…. Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Leon Thomas, Dwight Trible, Dorothy Ashby, Yusef Lateef, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Sahib Shihab, Don Cherry, Dizzy Reece, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Chet Baker, Duke Ellington and Art Blakey.

There is a real movement of new British jazz and a lot of it is doing pretty well both in terms of sales and recognition. What do you think has brought this about? People’s perceptions of the music or the music itself?
Well first off the music has to be good. I think the more honest the music is the easier it is for people to relate to it. For instance with my album I’ve just tried to keep it really stripped down and focussed on making everyone in the band sound good and I’ve let them express there own ideas and creativity freely. I think it’s very important to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of the musicians you work with and the real skill is making music were everyone in the band sounds amazing.

On your web page biog it says you have been touring the world since the age of 14. Tell us a bit about that.
Yes well I picked up the trumpet at the age of 6 years old after being taken to a jazz gig by my parents. It was a jazz big band playing covers of people like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington. I loved both the sound of the trumpet and characters of musicians who played it. They had a real cheeky vibe on stage and were always having a fun. It was at this point that I thought that seems like a great thing to do for a living.
At a later date around the age of 12-14 I actually joined the jazz big band that I had seen all those years ago and started touring the UK, Europe and the rest of the world. I also toured with classical orchestra’s and brass bands and some funk, soul, reggae and dub bands., then at a later date I started touring with my own band.

Obviously it isn’t all jazz, jazz, jazz. What else pushes your buttons and which artists in particular?
There are so many!!! I started DJ’ing when I was 15 years old. To name a few… A Tribe Called Quest, Digable Planets, Sound Providers, Guru, DJ Krush, DJ Cam, St.Germain, The Cinematic Orchestra, Nostalgia 77, Jose James, Nicola Conte, Soil & Pimp Sessions, Sleep Walker, Quasimode, Jazztronik, Indigo Jam Unit, Mr Scruff, Gilles Peterson, Paddy Steer, Homelife, Denis Jones, Graham Massey, Treva Whateva, Roots Manuva, Quantic, King Tubby, Augustus Pablo, Horace Andy, Jonny Osbourne, Cedric Im Brookes, The Congos, Marvin Gaye, Gil Scott-Heron, David Axelrod, Roy Ayers, Fela Kuti, Tony Allen, Mulatu Astatke, Theo Parrish, Moodymann, Matthew Herbert and so many more….

You have a new album out at the end of the month, Colour Yes, what can we expect from that and how is it different to your previous effort?
Yes the new albums out on Gondwana Records on Monday 26th October and I feel it’s a great follow up to my first album ‘Sending My Love’. It features Harp, Double Bass, Drums, Piano, Saxophones and Trumpet. And it has a slightly different feel to the first album. It’s a bit more varied, it has some upbeat waltzes and some very slow deep ballads along side firery drum lead tracks and the harp really adds a cosmic floaty vibe to it all.

You are from Manchester and very involved with the scene and other musicians up there (so I gather). A lot of great Manchester institutions have gone (The Hacienda and more recently Fat City Records to name a couple), what is the glue that binds you together up there now?
Yes Manchester is a great city to live in. People take their music really serious in the north. It has a very healthy vibrant music scene and I’m always spoilt for choice on where to go out at night.
My main hang out is Matt & Phred’s jazz club located in the Northern Quarter. You can see some amazing UK jazz artists here such as: Jon Thorne, Stuart McCallum, Jon Ellis, Steve Brown, Luke Flowers, Arun Ghosh and Nat Birchall.
Also I’m made up that the legendary venue Band On The Wall has just re-opened and will host artists such as: Mr Scruff, Jazzanova, Five Corner Quintet, Alice Russell, Nostalgia 77 and Craig Charles and The Lefties Soul Connection.
In terms of record shops King Bee Records in Chorlton is my favourite as well as Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange and Beat & Rhythm.

You are playing at the upcoming Five Missions More night at the Vibe Bar. What can someone who has never seen you live before expect?
Well I like to really mix things up when I’m performing live I love to play say a really heavy drum explosive tune followed by a stripped down emotional ballad then maybe a jolly waltz. You can also expect to hear me re-work tunes by artists such as: The Cinematic Orchestra, Soil & Pimp Sessions, Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane, Clifford Jordan and Pharoah Sanders.

Who is best Johnny Hates Jazz or Jazzy Jeff?
Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince of course.

Any final words?
Yes, thank you for showing an interest and supporting what I do and I wish you all the best in what you do.
Peace and love,
Matthew : )

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