Matt Finley

• Multi-instrumentalist Matt Finley has played professionally for over 55 years and has performed and recorded with many of the finest jazz musicians in the world. He studied composition with Edgar Curtis, Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra. A CD of Matt's compositions, "Brazilian Wish" has garnered international recognition, and two of his compositions were finalists at the Los Angeles Music Awards. He is featured on eleven CDs released since 2006. In 2013, Matt orchestrated and performed four of his Brazilian jazz compsitions in concert with the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra. He can also be heard as Director of the Smithfield Church Chamber Orchestra for special services at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church. Matt is a retired professor of computer information systems and former dean of academic affairs at Dutchess Community College, Poughkeepsie, New York. He lives in Pine Plains, NY and Bolton, NY.
  
  

• If you have some great music that needs the jazz touch, let's talk. The more I like your music, the less I charge.

    'Much more than a Classic Jazz Waltz'
    "This is a fabulous composition. Lively, dynamic, with interesting and intriguing chord changes throughout. The melody provides enjoyable
    anticipation combined with subtle complexity. This could easily have been composed by Henry Mancini (think Breakfast at Tiffany's).
    Just excellent, really excellent." - review on SheetMusicPlus of my composition, Holiday Bell Waltz

    'I looked for this song in my fakebooks before I found out you wrote it'
    - Donald Sosin, copyist for Hal Leonard talking about my composition, Holiday Bell Waltz

    'What a privilege to have Matt compose beautiful saxophone interludes and flute harmonies for several tracks
     of my original music. His soprano sax solo is especially impressive, affording my first album a truly professional
     feeling.'   - Phyllis Pulver, singer songwriter whose CD was recorded by Mark Dann, Woodstock, NY

• dba Kingsmill Music, a jazz music publishing company listed with BMI.



• BMI composer, arranger, and award-winning songwriter.



• Studied composition under Edgar Curtis, Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra.



• Permanent New York State music teaching certification.



• Member, Local 238-291 American Federation of Musicians.



• Member, The International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers.



• Professional jazz musician for 55 years.



• Multi-instrumentalist (flügelhorn, trumpet, soprano sax, flute, alto flute, vibes and a few others).



• Experienced studio sideman.



• Leader of Rio JAZZ, the Hudson Valley's premier Brazilian jazz concert band, since 1988.



• Composer (8 songs), arranger and sideman for Tomas Martin Lopez' CD, "On the Beat Path".



• Sideman and arranger for Denise Jordan Finley's CDs: Hauntress, Solstice, Girl on the Rhythm Guitar, Company Wife.



• Sideman jazz soloist and arranger on CDs by many Mid-Hudson Valley artists.



• Studio software includes SONAR, Adobe Audition, Encore, Band-in-a-Box, and Ozone.



• Studio hardware includes a complete setup for composing, arranging and single-instrument recording.



• "Brazilian Wish" jazz CD at www.cdbaby.com/cd/mattfinley



• Composed and arranged for: Rio JAZZ; Union College Brass Choir; Dutchess Community College Brass Choir and Jazz Ensemble; Albany Jazz Workshop; North Country Jazz Project; Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra, and others.



• If you have some great music that needs the jazz touch, let's talk. If I'm not right for your job, I know many others who might be a good fit.