Having just finished his sixth CD entitled Urban Folktales, Smoothviews had a chance to sit down with this young guitarist from Long Island to discuss the new release and life on the road.

Smoothviews (SV): Hello Matt and welcome back to Smoothviews. What has been happening with you lately?
Matt Marshak (MM): We’ve got a new record that’s coming out April 1st that’s called Urban Folktales. I have that and being a new father is the other big addition to my life.

SV: Both of those are extremely big! With Urban Folktales coming out soon, can you tell us a little bit about it?
MM: Sure. It’s a new record, and it’s a concepts record for me where I had tried to stick to a certain image I had in my mind and really stick to that plan through out the whole record. All of the songs are part of this for the record. Where as in the past I would usually jump around and explore a lot. On this one, I kind of kept to the same vibe from start to finish. Really they are just stories from different cities that I’ve visited and played in and performed in. They are just tales from the road. There’s a story behind every one of them.

SV: That sounds like an interesting concept, especially with so many stories there. I know the first cut is called “Teddy P.” What was the inspiration behind this one?
MM: Well I have always loved Teddy Pendergrass and the emotion behind his music. I wanted to do a song that was inspired by a lot of those sounds, particularly the guitar playing I heard on those records. So it’s a song a little bit in that style but still doing my own thing. It was sort of a tribute/dedication to that great singer. There was a lot of these little atmospheric or mood kind of guitar parts that I would hear on a lot of those 1970’s R and B and even some of the jazz records. A lot of them you would hear a wah wah guitar kind of clicking in the background kind of creating a dreamy feel. That’s the essence of the whole track is this wah-wah guitar. It’s in the forefront instead of being in the back where it usually is. 

SV: Well I know we all miss him and it’s a big loss for us, and I think you’ve done this one well. “Harlem River Drive” is one that seems to keep flowing along, and is probably just a great drive song. Tell us about that one.
MM: That song was brought to me without a melody from drummer producer Stix Bones. He sent that over to me and immediately I put it on and played lead guitar and heard this melody in my head and it sounded like someone was singing the words Harlem River Drive. I didn’t have New York totally in mind but the melody kind of sounded like it was singing those words. Every time I went to the chorus I kept hearing that. So we know what to name this song. Once I had the guitar finished, I had Mario Cruz play some flute parts on it and that was it. It came together really quickly.

SV: Wow, I like it. It’s a great drive song, and I understand what you mean when you hear the melody. Do you have a favorite cut on here so far?
MM: A favorite cut? I really enjoy the song “Glen Bernie.” It’s one of the funkier tracks of the record. The story behind is my keyboard player Rodney Williams and my drummer Carl Anderson both live in a town in Maryland. When we’re down there for shows we end up doing some rehearsing at Rodney’s studio. That one was written there on the spot at one of the rehearsals. While were coming up with the arrangement some one blurted out “we’ve gotta call the song Glen Bernie.” Thus the name.

SV: That sounds like fun. Any first singles coming out yet?
MM: We are deciding that this week. Me and my team here, we’ve got to get together and decide what song it’s going to be. We hope to have that ready in a day or two. We’ll probably announce on the web site by the end of March.

SV: Ok, we’ll be looking for that. I like the “voice” that’s going on in “Next To You.” Tell us a little bit about that one.
MM: “Next To You” was inspired by listening to a lot of current R and B artists such as Jil Scott and Anthony Hamilton. I had this groove that I came up with and I wrote the bass line, and that was in my head. I went into the studio and added some guitar parts and the melody I was feeling inside. But there were these holes that I had left out and I wasn’t sure what was supposed to go there. What I’m learning is that sometimes it’s best to hand it off to people rather than trying to edit it before it happens. So I handed it over to my friend Marcus Anderson, and I said “Marcus, I know you can come up with something unique here.” I was expecting either a horn part or a flute part but he came up with a vocoder part and even added some lyrics. He sent it back to me and I was blown away. He said “what do you think?” I think we have a co-write here. (laughing) It didn’t take hardly any editing and kept what ever he did naturally. That has a nice vibe to it that I really enjoyed being a part of. I’m slowly learning that sometimes it’s OK to not go to the guitar in certain spots and put something else in and when the guitar comes back, I’m finding it more powerful to disappear for a minute and that song is a good case of it.

SV: “Cackalacky Cool” has an interesting name and comes across as a fun one. Tell us about the inspiration behind that one. 
MM: I have the great fortune of playing in North and South Carolina a lot. Whatever is in the water down there has cultivated this incredible contemporary jazz scene down there. From having some great opportunities to perform down there and just soaking in this Carolina jazz vibe that exists down there which is a unique blend of R and B, and soul, and straight ahead jazz and other things. That sound has kind of rubbed off on me. So this song sort or hints at that a little bit and pays tribute to the musicians that I’ve worked with down there. It was called “Chackalacky Cool.” Hopefully I’ll get to play that one soon.

SV: I like that. Especially since I’m here in the Carolina’s and love seeing your shows here. Speaking of which, tell us a little bit about your tour dates. What are some of your tour highlights for the up coming year?
MM: It’s all being pieced together right now. Some of the things I have confirmed are in April (8th) we’re heading out to play Modesto California with a great, great concert series up there run by John Griswald and the day after we’re playing down in southern California in Palm Desert at the Gardens on El Paseo which is another outside venue. I’m really looking forward to those two shows. Throughout the summer we are going to be sort of cultivating this new little buzz that’s happening here on Long Island New York at the Raphael vineyard. I’ll be making a few stops there with my own band and performing with Four 80 East. I think Shilts, Four 80 East and I will be doing a couple of jazz festivals out in Kansas this summer as well. June 3rd I’ll be in Connecticut with Jackiem Joyner as a double bill. So far, those seem to be some of the big highlights. There are a lot of tentative things in the works as well. (See my web site for details)

SV: I know that it’s early in the “season” as they like to say and I’m sure that the bookings will get heavier as the days go along. As you’re out there on the road, what are you seeing differently now than when you first started out in your career?
MM: Well I noticed that there now is less of a radio factor. I think the live show is in essence is the radio now. When you have a chance to perform, that’s your chance to really make fans and sell what musical message you bring to the table. So I think it is even more important now, the live show and the performance. I think people and jazz fans in particular realize as well that there are not as many outlets for them to tune in. I think we’ve seen some great attendance at a lot of the shows. People come there to find out about the music. Not only to hear familiar things, but to find out about some new music which is pretty inspiring. I think there’s many cases of success out there in spite of some cases of where things did not work out, which I think exists in any business or any field. I think there’s going to be shining moments in tough times.

SV: There is, and that’s what brings us through all of that, and it’s good to be so successful in some of those areas. I know you spoke about your daughter earlier and there’s a lot of personal feeling that went into the last cut. Tell us a little bit about that one “Dancing With My Daughter.”
MM: Sure. This is a song dedicated to my daughter Madison and while working on this track, it has a very nice southern R and B jazz groove going on. She kept walking into the studio and smiling, and trying to touch the keyboard (laughing). I think she was trying to mix my song. She had some ideas, and needless to say I picked her up and we would listen to the song and she started dancing. I went along with her and any time that song would come on she would run into the studio and she really remembered it. What’s weird about instrumental music is, because there aren’t a lot of words, the titles of songs are very open. It was pretty clear to me that I had to name it after her and this little moment where she would want to dance. So I look forward to telling her that story when she gets older.

SV: I can imagine. I know how special it is to have that daughter. That’s going to be special just playing it on the road and just feeling the closeness there, and just playing that one over the years and having that memory with her when it was first cut.
Let’s change gears for just a moment, I see some pictures of you bass fishing on the web site. Tell us a little bit about your fishing days.
MM: Well, that is my one escape that gets me away from everything. Anytime there is an extra day after a show I’ll find a place to go fishing usually. Most recently I was down in Florida and got to fish. We played Boca and the day after I fished a lake called the Stick Marsh. I’ve been getting this idea, and talking to Nick Collione we should do fishing slash jazz weekend called Jazz and Bass. That’s my idea. If anyone wants to help me out, please reach out. (laughing) It’s always been my escape and has nothing to do with music. When you come home from fishing, even if you don’t catch anything, your mind’s clear and it’s just a nice get away.

SV: I like that a lot. Especially here in the south they say a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. Ha… Tell us a little bit about your collaborations with other artists. Are there any other artists you’re working with, or projects that are going on?
MM: Right now I played guitar on an album for Cal Harris on one of his tracks and on Chris Geith’s new record. I’m also starting a blues inspired project with my brother Chris which should be released in the next year or two. That’s some of the newer things. I can’t sit still too long before my mind starts traveling and wants to do something else.

SV: That’s great. So there’s always something out there on the back burner waiting on you. Well Matt, is there anything you want to tell your fans as we finish up here today?
MM: I’m just incredibly thankful and have a deep sense of gratitude for the support as a newer artist over the last year with my record Family Funktion. The response was wonderful. Thanks to every person who bought it and came out to the shows as well. That means everything because without the support I’d have a lot of CD’s sitting at my house (laughing) and no where to go. I’m incredibly thankful that people are showing support like that. It means a lot.

SV: I think you layer those appreciations on the inside cover of the new disc as well. Those who are listed appreciate that and thank you for being the musician that you are, and the great person that you are as well.
MM: I appreciate that Harvey. I don’t take anything for granted any more; any opportunity that’s been given to me. I don’t think people understand how thankful we are, including the band, to be there. So we make sure we tell the audience each and every night that we’re grateful to be there. Thank you very much, and thank Smoothviews.

SV: Well we’re always glad to have you around, and wish you continued success in the jazz industry.