A breathtaking journey from the cycles of country life to the day-to-night rhythms of a metropolitan city. Quintet arrangements performed with Bobby Watson, Jeremy Pelt, Joris Teepe and Peter Retzlaff thrill fans as Matt continues his creative evolution.

13 MP3 Songs in this album (57:54) !
Related styles: Jazz: Mainstream Jazz, Jazz: Piano Jazz, Type: Instrumental

People who are interested in Bill Evans Chick Corea Thelonious Monk should consider this download.


Details:
This album really started with the composition of my song "Picturesque" in 2008. At the time, it was more of a generic title, not specifically referring to the farm (I live on an organic farm in New Hampshire), but it sort of became a theme song for the farm over time. "Picturesque" has remained that way ever since, even with the albumâs upbeat version.

Half a year later, I got ambitious and wrote the "Big Apple Suite." New York had become a sort of second home to me over time. With "Big Apple Suite" and "Picturesque," I started noticing a greater trend: basically, it was my travels that were inspiring my music in general. And the biggest change of my life was imminent: college.

So I decided to write a whole album about my travels, writing many of the titles before the songs (which I almost never did before). The songs grew into the titles, an example being "Seasons Change" (a sort of four-part suite in its own right, recapitulating the opening theme at the end). My arrival at Bostonâs Berklee College of Music in the fall of 2009 brought the song that is the albumâs culmination: " Welcome Home (Boston)." Once the final song ("Our Town") was written and quintet arrangements were ready, Welcome Home was complete.

This album is about changing homes incredibly quickly (sometimes once a day for short trips) and still calling it home. Itâs about being suddenly bombarded with information and surrounded by people and then taking a nice little break from that. Itâs about the fear of the inevitable⦠and the thrill of promise. Itâs about returning home as much as it is about going away. And, more than anything, itâs about enjoying every minute of it.

I hope you enjoy Welcome Home as well.

BIOGRAPHY

Matt Savageâs highly anticipated ninth album, Welcome Home, was released in the Fall of 2010. This is Mattâs second album to be produced by Grammy-nominated Jonathan Wyner and engineered by nine time Grammy-winner Tom Bates. The album celebrates Mattâs travels and the many places Matt calls âhome.â From the country to the city to concerts around the world, Matt continues his epic journey as an extraordinarily talented jazz composer, performer and pianist.

The legendary saxophonist Bobby Watson is just one of the renowned musicians joining Matt on Welcome Home. Now age 18, Matt has been connected with some of the biggest names in jazz from the time he was first labeled a âjazz prodigyâ at age 8. He has performed (on stage and in jam sessions) with the Ellington All Stars, Chaka Khan, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, The Bad Plus, Arturo OâFarrill, John Pizzarelli and Chick Corea, to name a few.

At the age of 11, Matt debuted at the famed Blue Note (and was signed as an artist for Bösendorfer pianos). The following year, he debuted at Birdland with the legendary Clark Terry on trumpet, Jimmy Heath on sax, Jon Faddis on trumpet, Marcus McLaurine on bass and Kenny Washington on drums. In 2007, Matt made his first appearance at the prestigious Dizzyâs Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Presently a sophomore at Berklee College of Music, Matt has made Boston his âhome away from home,â with performances at such local venues as the renowned Regattabar. Matt manages to balance classes, studies and concert gigs while maintaining a GPA of 4.0 and achieving Deanâs List status. The Boston Globe caught up with Matt this year, describing just how well he is navigating college and career. In the article, the author refers to the song âPicturesque,â which appears on the new album. He writes, âLater, on the soundstage at Berkleeâs Cafe 939 on Boylston Street, Savage demonstrates the power and fluidity of his maturing playing style as he launches into âPicturesque,â one of his original compositions. Studious-looking but never stiff, he plays the piece in a lilting, expressive manner that lends its softer edges a big, impressive sound. After finishing, Savage says what he loves most about jazz is its spontaneity, a quality embedded in every note heâs just played.â

Mattâs most recent appearances include âLate Night with Conan OâBrien,â Marian McPartlandâs prestigious âPiano Jazzâ series on NPR and âThe Late Show with David Letterman.â Following his performance on âLetterman,â the Matt Savage Trioâs previous album, Hot Ticket, hit #11 on the JazzWeek radio charts and garnered the #2 position in âLive Jazzâ sales on Amazon.com (behind only Keith Jarrett).

JAZZIZ, JazzTimes, All About Jazz and other respected music publications have all praised Mattâs talent. JAZZIZ touts Matt as a âwildly inventive composer, interpreter and pianist no matter what his age.â NPRâs âPiano Jazzâ concurs, with Marian McPartland describing Matt as a âyoung man [who] plays with grace, energy and originality. Jazz savant indeed!â

The Wall Street Journal was equally enthusiastic upon attending Mattâs 2008 concert at New York Cityâs Cachaça Jazz Club. As âBig Apple Suiteâ (another song from the new album) debuted, the writer described Matt as âa phenomenally talented pianist and composer who demands to be taken seriously on purely musical terms.â

Matt Savage continues his creative evolution with the release of Welcome Home. College commitments notwithstanding, Mattâs live concerts will continue to captivate his fans with performances reflecting the synchronicity that emerges when exceptional music meets an exceptional musician.

For more information, please visit: www.savagerecords.com

NOTABLE PRESS QUOTES

ââ¦a phenomenally talented pianist and composer who demands to be taken seriously on purely musical terms.â
WALL STREET JOURNAL

âA wildly inventive composer, interpreter and pianist no matter what his age ...Savage proves his maturityâ¦â
JAZZIZ

âHe clearly knows what he is doingâ¦not only as a hard bop/post-bop pianist, but also as a composer.â
ALL MUSIC GUIDE

âThis young man plays with grace, energy and originality. Jazz Savant INDEED!â
MARIAN MCPARTLAND

âYou blew my mind. That was incredible!â
CONAN O'BRIEN, host of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien"

âA jazz legend - at 15â
AMERICAN WAY

âJazz prodigy makes âLeapâ to maturity.â
BOSTON HERALD

âAs always, his amazing technique shines...â
JAZZIZ

â...a schooled, seasoned jazz pianist...â
JAZZTIMES

â...absolutely astonishing, refreshing and engaging...â
ALL MUSIC GUIDE

âI am amazed at Mattâs musical ability at such an early age.â
DAVE BRUBECK

ââ¦heâs possessed of a remarkable talent...â
JAZZIZ

ââ¦is Matt Savage really that good? Does he deserve the hype and hoopla? In a word, yes⦠he's an admirable jazz pianist, one whose age seems largely irrelevantâ¦â
ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM

ââ¦brilliantâ
TIME MAGAZINE

ââ¦jazz phenom Matt Savage unlocks a door to genius using 88 keysâ
PEOPLE MAGAZINE

âThe Key Master.â â...he's got command of the music and, most important, he's got swing.â
THE BOSTON GLOBE

ââ¦delightful and inspiringâ¦â
CHICK COREA

ââ¦the future of JAZZâ
JIMMY HEATH

âBesides being an extremely gifted pianist and improviser, Matt has the musical instincts of a person many years older. To me this is the most incredible characteristic about Matt. Where did this come from? Wow! I can't wait to hear him perform when his feet can reach the pedals.â
BOBBY WATSON

âI was amazed at how talented he is. Amazing is the word I can tell you. I keep track of young talent in kids, and heâs the first one that I met that young that was THAT talented. He has such a musical mind that it isnât music that he has to learn. It seems like heâs such an advanced musician in so many ways already at 8.â
DAVE BRUBECK

âMatt Savage is, in short, a wonder, and heâs just 13 years old.â
OAKLAND TRIBUNE

âWhenever he plays...he blows people away.â
THE MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM

âMatt combines all forms of harmony resolution, not just rhythmic or counterpoint, but he goes beyond to levels once visited by Bach concerto and Mozart.â
AFRO AMERICAN SYNDICATE

âPhenomenal...He sounds as good as any of the top pros in this town, and better than some.â
JOHN PAYNE