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Matthew skoller is one of ChiCago’s Most respeCted harp blowers and blues bandleaders. For the past 27 years he has played all of Chicago’s heaviest showcase venues and toured
much of the world with his super tight ensembles. Deeply rooted in the tradition of the
Chicago blues elders with whom he worked and studied, Skoller has developed a unique
style that conjures the past while being firmly planted in the present. Skoller, known
for his fiery and engaging performances, combines passionate harp playing and singing
with original song writing and prodigious production skills. He has self produced four of his own critically ac-
claimed CDs. As a producer he has produced two award
winning CDs by Lurrie Bell: Let’s Talk About Love and
The Devil Ain’t Got No Music. Skoller penned the title cut
of the latter, which was nominated for song of the year by
the Blues Music Awards in the US. The same album was
awarded the Prix Blues by L’Academie du Jazz in Paris,
France in 2012. Matthew has played harmonica on two
Grammy nominated CDs in the last four years: Chicago
Blues: A Living History and Still I Rise, by Heritage Blues
Orchestra.
Matthew collaborated with his brother Larry Skoller
(producer) on the Grammy nominated, historical project,
Chicago Blues: A Living History. He co-produced and
FOR BOOKING INFORMATION , PLEASE CONTACT MATTHEW AT
[email protected] • (773) 771-5364 • P.O. Box 25982, Chicago, IL 60625 • www.matthewskoller.com
Matthew Skoller playS hohner harMonicaS
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
to hear ms click here: http://www.matthewskoller.com/radio/launch.htmlsee ms at montreux jazz festival: http://matthewskoller.com/montreux/
CL ICK HERE TO L ISTEN TO THE MATTHEW SKOLLER BAND
CL ICK HERE FOR A V IDEO OF MATTHEW AT THE MONTREUX JAZZ FEST IVAL
played on volume two The (R)evo-
lution Continues which won Tra-
ditional album of the year at the
Blues Music Awards in 2012. He
lent his production experience,
deep knowledge of Chicago Blues
history, and his harmonica to this
project that is now being hailed
by critics as one of the greatest
Chicago Blues events of our time.
In the last four years Matthew
has played in Mali, Mauritania,
Tunisia, Camaroon, asked to be
a featured guest with Lurrie Bell
at The Japan Blues Festival in
Aomori Japan in 2012, only to be
asked back in 2013 to headline
the same festival with his own
group! Matthew has been invit-
ed to perform twice at the Resi-
dence of the U.S. Ambassador to
France in Paris. As well as play-
ing the world renown Montreux
Jazz Festival in 2012 and many
other festivals throughout Eu-
rope and the US. Matthew is also
a regular performer at New York
City’s 55 Bar where he collabo-
rates several times a year with
many of his favorite New York
musicians including Bill Sims
Jr. and Junior Mack.
In 2013 Matthew was asked
by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
to produce, organize and perform the grande finale of the
Chicago Blues Festival. Skoller’s theme was Old School,
New Millennium. His mentor James Cotton headlined this
star-studded event which was acclaimed as one of the best
all-star events in recent Chicago Blues Festival history.
Matthew Skoller started playing blues music in 1979.
In 1987 he moved to Chicago to
catch the tail end of the golden
era of Chicago Blues. The art-
ists that encouraged the 25-year-
old were masters such as Dave
and Louis Myers, Junior Wells,
Johnny Littlejohn, Magic Slim,
Lonnie Brooks, Son Seals, Koko
Taylor, James Cotton, Buddy
Guy, Little Smokey Smothers,
Big Smokey Smothers, Hubert
Sumlin, Willie Kent, and Jimmy
Rodgers who hired Skoller to
play several Chicago gigs with
him and offered him the harp
seat in his band. At the same
moment, Big Daddy Kinsey and
the Kinsey Report asked Mat-
thew to join their ensemble at a
time when their success was at
its peak. Jimmy advised Mat-
thew to go on the road with this
ascending group as they were
on the cusp of great success.
Matthew toured with them and
recorded an album on Blind Pig
Records with the group. Mat-
thew went on to record with
Koko Taylor, John Primer, Dei-
tra Farr, Big Time Sarah, Harvey
Mandel, Bernard Allison and
H-Bomb Ferguson. In 1993 Mat-
thew put together his own group
and has been a band leader ever since.
When not on tour Matthew and his group can be seen
live in Chicago at many venues including Buddy Guy’s
Legends who has been employing Matthew since their
club opened in 1989. 25 years and counting! Matthew has
emerged as one of Chicago’s most accomplished blues-
based artists.
— 2 —
“Over the years I’ve watched Matthew Skoller, it’s obvious he’sdone his homework. I love the way he plays harp.”– JaMes Cot ton
top: James Cotton backstage with Matthew. middle: Matthew jamming with Buddy Guy at his club in Chicago.
bottom: Sharing with John Primer at the 2013 Chicago Blues Festival.
— 3 —
Matthew holds a harmonica workshop for Japanese children in Aomori Japan in 2012.
Watch a video of the Matthew Skoller Band performing LIVE at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival
the Matthew skoller band is a highly skilled, highly professional organization with extensive regional
touring experence, gigs at prestigious national venues, and
national and international festival appearances. For the
last 25 years, The Matthew Skoller Band performed over
ten times a year at Buddy Guy’s Legends, perhaps the
world’s best-known blues club. This helped them build a
large and enthusiastic following throughout Chicago, the
Midwest and the world. Skoller and crew had an eight-
year run every Sunday at the House of Blues in Chicago
and still play the venue on an ongoing basis. Other high-
lights have been performances at The 2012 Montreux Jazz
Festival, The Japan Blues Festival in 2012 and 2013,
an African tour of Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia and Cam-
eroon, the 2004 Lucerne Blues Festival. The Mawazine
World Music Festival in Rabat Morocco in 2006 and again
in 2008. Matthew also has performed at numerous festi-
vals and club gigs in England, Italy, Norway, Belgium,
Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Chile, Holland, France, Lux-
embourg, Germany, Finland and China.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL APPEARANCES
“MatthEW SkOLLEr and his band were invited to the Japan Blues Festival 2013 and they had a great performance... the audience was extremely excited by his music and enjoyed true Chicago Blues!”
– SEn YaManaka, p r o M o t e r o f J a pa n b l u e s f e s t i va l
Kenny “Beedy Eyes”Smith, Larry Skoller, legendary Ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate, Bill Sims Jr. and Matthew Skoller at sound check in Bamako, Mali (2010).
— 4 —
RECORDINGS
n As band leader and producer (TONGUE ‘N GrOOvE rECOrDs):
• These Kind Of Blues (2005) MOJO MagazIne’s tOP ten BLues aLBuMs Of 2005
• Taproot (2004) • Shoulder To The Wind (2000) • Bone To Pick With You (1996)
n Matthew has appeared on records released by all of Chicago’s blues labels: Alligator Records, Blind Pig Records, Delmark Records and Earwig Records.
n 2013: Featured harmonica player on Lurrie Bell’s Blues In My Soul (DElmArk)
n 2012: Produced and played on the Lurrie Bell’s award winning album: The Devil Ain’t Got No Music (ArIA
B.G. rECOrDs). The title cut penned by Skoller was nominated for song of the year by the Blues Music Awards.
n 2011: Played on Grammy nominated Heritage Blues Orchestra album And Still I Rise (rAIsIN mUsIC).
n 2011: Skoller was a featured soloist and co-producer of Chicago Blues: A Living History The (R)evolution Continues (rAIsIN mUsIC) which won Best Traditional Blues album of the year at the Blues Awards.
n Featured soloist on Toronzo Cannon’s 2011 release Leaving Mood (DElmArk)
n 2009: Featured soloist on Chicago Blues: A Living History (rAIsIN mUsIC) which garnered a Grammy nomination.
n 2008: Matthew produced and played on Let’s Talk About Love (ArIA BG rECOrDs) Lurrie Bell’s critically acclaimed “come-back” album.
n More recordings with others: Deitra Farr, Let It Go! JsP rECOrDs (2005)
Koko Taylor, Royal Blue AllIGATOr rECOrDs (2000) • Big Time Sarah, A Million Of You DElmArk (2000)
Michael Coleman, Do Your Thing! DElmArk (2000) • John Primer, Knockin At Your Door TElArC (2000)
John Primer, Keep On Lovin’ The Blues CODE BlUE (1997) • Bernard Allison, Keepin’ The Blues Alive CANNONBAll (1997)
H-Bomb Ferguson, Wiggin’ Out EArwIG (1993) • Larry Garner, You Need to Live A Little POlyGrAm (1993)
Harvey Mandel, Twist City wEsTErN FrONT (1993) • Big Daddy Kinsey, Can’t Let Go BlIND PIG (1989)
— 4 —
“his songs possess a touch of class and a welcome socialconscience too often absent from a genre that often relieson references to a long-gone past. Skoller and companydeliver Chicago-style tunes worth repeated listenings.”
– ChIp O’BrIEn, Blues Revue
“These Kind of Blues! is a powerful album that needs
to be heard... Not since the old days have I heard such pas-
sionate, straight-from-the-heart expression in blues lyrics...
The songs project a seasoned maturity, a wisdom; they
move way beyond the adolescent sexuality and tired heart-
break of too many modern blues songs. You definitely
need these kind of blues.”
— Niles FraNtz, WBez, ChiCago PuBliC radio
“This release has a huge impact on its first play it fairly
drips with all the best in Chicago Blues—grooves, beat,
strong lyrics, musicianship and urban grind.”
— BLuES MAttErS (u.K.)
“Matthew Skoller is one of today’s top harmonica players
clearly influenced by artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson.
He’s a good singer who can be a gritty vocalist. He is an
even better songwriter, taking Blues traditions into modern
times with contemporary themes beyond the sexuality and
heartbreak of too many Blues songs.”
— James WalKer • CoNtriButiNg editor, BLuESWAx
“His throaty singing and his harmonica playing are true-
blue in the idiom, but this is no conventional travelogue
from the Chicago of 40 years ago: his songs are either set
firmly in the present, like Wired World, or choose traditional
motifs only to transform them, as in Down At Your Buryin’.”
— toNy russell, MoJo MAGAziNE (u.K.)
“The Matthew Skoller Band is an outstanding group that
expresses blues in the urban or Chicago blues idiom.
These Kind of Blues! offer Matthew Skoller as a brilliant
and significant songwriter, arranger, harpist, vocalist and
bandleader. He presents contemporary blues with silhou-
tettes of Junior Parker, James Cotton and Jimmy Reed. …
living and breathing the pathos of tradition and history.”
— sterliNg PlumPP, BiG City BLuES
— 5 —
PRESS DOWNLOADS
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