An active performer, author, educator and clinician listed in Who's Who In America and International Who's Who In Music. His performing credits include jazz greats Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Eddie Harris, Buddy De Franco, Les McCann, Bobby Shew, Don Menza, and John Tchicai, to name just a few. He also has seven critically acclaimed recordings to his credit as a leader and others as a sideman, including those with John Tchicai and Jimmy Smith, with many of them garnering four stars (****) in various trade magazines including Jazz Times, Jazziz, and Down Beat. Mat is the author of several books on drumming for both Lewis Music and Mel Bay Publications, is an Adjunct Professor for American River College, Sacramento, CA and an endorser for Mapex drums, Zildjian cymbals, and Remo drumheads. He has written numerous articles on drumming for Modern Drummer magazine, the Percussive Arts Society's Percussive Notes and Percussion News, and the online drum magazine Cyber-Drum. Wave files of Mat's playing can be heard here and a complete resume can be found here. Recommended cymbals: All K's and K Constantinoples, CIE Vintage crashes
Major Influences:
Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Joe Morello, Elvin Jones, Tony Williams, Jimmy Cobb, Grady Tate, Buddy Rich, Jack DeJohnette, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Kabalevsky
Published Works:
Jazz Drumming Essentials and More (Mel Bay Publications) - Read a review here
Progressive Studies For Drums (Lewis Music Publishing)
Progressive Studies In Jazz Drumming (Lewis Music Publications)
15-Minute Warm-Ups For Drums [book/cd] (Mel Bay Publications)
Drumstick Finger Systems And Techniques (Mel Bay Publications)
A Simple Approach To The Drum Rudiments (Mel Bay Publications) [future release pending]
Books & Articles:
Modern Drummer Magazine - Articles on Technique and Musical Concepts
Percussive Notes, Percussion News - Instructional Articles
Cyber-Drum [www.cyberdrum.com] - Instructional Articles and
Online Lessons
Dorn Publications - Masterclass CD for "Sticks & Mallets" Magazine (1998)
RECORDINGS AS LEADER:
Marco Records, Los Angeles: "Who Do Voodoo"(1979);
"Lifeline" (1980)
"Festival" (1980); "Extensity" (1981)
Tudor Records, New York: "Avant-Bop" (1983)
Timeless Records, Holland: "Body And Soul" (1992)
Jazz Inspiration Records, Canada: "Ulterior Motif" (1998)
RECORDINGS AS SIDEMAN:
John Tchicai, "Infinitesimal Flash" Challenge/Buzz Records (2000)
Jimmy Smith, [Title & Release Pending] Gateway Records (2002)
John Tchicai [Title & Release Pending] 8th Harmonic Records (2002)
John Allen " Dreamworld" Digital Futures (1991)