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ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards 2004/2005
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12, Francestown, NH
Matt Savage was born in 1992. He taught himself how to read piano music and began studying classical piano in October of 1998. He discovered jazz in 1999 and began studies at The New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA that fall. He continued his classical studies while pursuing jazz. During December of 1999, Matt recorded his first audio CD in collaboration with his instructor at The New England Conservatory to raise money for autism research. Matt became the youngest child to perform at the NEPTA "Gifted and Talented" classical piano recitals in early 2000.
In September of 2000, Matt met and played piano for Dave Brubeck. The meeting was aired by WGME-TV Channel 13 in Portland, Maine. Brubeck's comments about the meeting: "I was amazed at how talented he is. Amazing is the word I can tell you. I keep track of young talent in kids, and he's the first one that I met that young that was THAT talented. He has such a musical mind that it isn't music that he has to learn. It seems like he's such an advanced musician in so many ways already at 8." Matt has also met and played for such jazz piano greats as Chick Corea and McCoy Tyner.Matt released his second CD (and first solo piano effort) entitled Live at the Olde Mill in January of 2001. At the age of 9, Matt indicated that he wanted to play in an ensemble, so The Matt Savage Trio was formed. This band is headed by Matt on piano, and completed by two adult sidemen on bass and drums.
After an article came out about Matt in The Boston Globe in October of 2001, he started selling out concerts. And in November of 2001, The Matt Savage Trio released their first CD as a trio, a CD entitled All Jazzed Up. Around that time, Matt appeared on Lifetime Television and on ABC's "20/20". National Public Radio (NPR)'s "All Things Considered" aired a fantastic piece about Matt in April of 2002.
The Matt Savage Trio performed at the 2002 New Orleans Jazz Festival to great acclaim, including a notice in USA Today. Around the same time, the Trio released their second CD, entitled "Groovin' on Mount Everest".
The Trio performed in Singapore in November 2002 before the country's President and First Lady and other dignitaries.
May of 2003 brought the release of The Matt Savage Trio's third CD, "Chasing Your Tail", which was recorded live at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL. The Matt Savage Trio made their debut at the famed Blue Note in New York in 2003, when Matt was 11. Matt performed at The Kennedy Center in December of 2003 for NPR's live "Jazz Piano Christmas" broadcast.The Matt Savage Trio released their newest CD, "CUTTING LOOSE", in August of 2004. Matt composed all of the songs on the CD. The "official" CD release concert was held at Birdland on October 4, 2004
Matt is a winner of the 2004/2005 annual ASCAP Foundation Young Jazz Composer Awards., and is currently a finalist in both the Teen and (Adult) Jazz categories (for another composition) in the 2004/2005 International Songwriting Competition.
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