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A trumpet, flugelhorn, bass clarinet player and writer, Matt Lavelle was born in 1970 in New York. After hearing Louis Armstrong’s “Back O-Town Blues”, and touring Russia with his high school big band, led by Bert Hughes, he was hooked on Jazz. for life. His formative years were spent playing with Sir Hildred Humphries, hailing from Pittsburgh Hildred Humphries played with Billie Holiday, Roy Eldridge, and Count Basie. Spending a lot of time with Hildred taught LaVelle what swing was all about, although he would grow to play all styles of Jazz.

After doing the “Smalls” thing, Lavelle formed a weekly jam session at the Rainy Daze in Chelsea, New York City. This gig lasted for a year and a half, and he began playing with his current bass-player and friend, Francois Grillot.

On hiatus in upstate New York Lavelle met drummer Ryan Saywer from Texas, who introduced Lavelle to the downtown scene where he has been playing ever since. Lavelle says of music: “I believe the true tradition of the music is to continue the search that got us here. I believe the ultimate example of this is Duke Ellington’s “up-jump” vehicle for Paul Gonsalves, which is based on augmented chords at a blazing tempo of total improvisation the entire way. He announces the piece as a traditional.”

“I believe in the true magical power of this music we can heal, change and help the world we live in. I think a perfect example of this is William Parker's Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra, which I believe has the power to quiet earthquakes, and calm tidal waves. I take inspiration from today’s living masters, like Sabir Mateen, Daniel Carter, Roy Campbell, Steve Swell and Joe & Mat Maneri. True warriors of the art form, who keep the path brightly lit. I equally like playing in structured and free environments. Of course, being yourself is important.Matt Lavelle

Lavelle currently plays with Eye Contact, Morcilla, his Quintet, his Trio (with Hill Greene and Mike Thompson), William Parker's Little Huey Music Orchestra, Sabir Mateen, William Hooker, Ras Moshe + The Music Now Unit, Stars Like Fleas, and in duo with Daniel Carter. Discography:

Leader/Collective:

Matt Lavelle Trio (with Hilliard Greene and Mike 'TA' Thompson) - Spiritual Power 2007/Silkheart
Eye Contact - War Rug 2006/KMB Jazz
Eye Contact - Making Eye Contact With God 2005/Utech
Eye Contact - Embracing The Tide 2005/Utech
Spark Trio - Short Stories In Sound 2006/Utech
Matt Lavelle/Daniel Carter - Blackwood 2006/Antamira
Matt Lavelle/Daniel Carter - self-titled 2004/self-released
Matt Lavelle - Trumpet Rising, Bass Clarinet Moon 2003/self-released
Matt Lavelle Quartet - Handling The Moment 2002/CIMP

Sideman:

William Parker's Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra - For Percy Heath 2006/Victo
William Parker's Little Huey Creative Music Orchestra - Spontaneous 2005/Splasc(H)
Steve Swell's Nation of We - Live at The Bowery Poetry Club 2006/Ayler
Sabir Mateen's Shapes, Textures and Sounds Ensemble - Propehcies Come To Pass 2006/577
Steve Swell's Unified Theory Of Sound - This Now! 2005/Cadence
Ras Moshe + The Music Now Unit - Live Spirits, Volume 1 2005/Utech
Ras Moshe + The Music Now Unit - Into The Openess 2003/Music Now!
Ras Moshe + The Music Now Unit - Schematic 2002/Jump Arts!
Assif Tsahar's New York Underground Orchestra - The Labyrinth 2003/Hopscotch
Assif Tsahar's Zoanthropic Orchestra - Embracing The Void 2003/Hopscotch