I’m a professional upright and electric bassist with extensive experience in just about every type of music out there including but not limited to: jazz, classical, rock, funk, bluegrass, latin, hip-hop and neo-soul. I’ve been teaching group classes and private lessons on all rhythm section instruments since 2021 and have also started DJ’ing vinyl in 2024.

Hi there! I’m Matt — thanks for stopping by and reading a little about me and my musical journey. I’m a lifelong Chicago native who’s been playing upright and electric bass for most of my life, starting way back in third grade.

My bass origin story begins thanks to my mom, who insisted that my brothers and I pick an instrument as soon as our school would allow it. I chose the upright bass pretty quickly — partly because I loved how versatile it was, and partly because I knew it could eventually lead me to bass guitar (a very important long-term plan, obviously). I’ve always been a huge music fan, growing up obsessed with Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Grateful Dead, and Metallica — not exactly your typical “future jazz bassist” starter pack.

By the time I reached high school at Maine South High School (just outside of Chicago), I was taking bass pretty seriously. I played in a handful of rock bands with friends, held down the first chair bass spot in the school orchestra, and stayed busy with orchestral programs outside of school. Around my junior year, though, something new clicked — jazz. This happened after I started digging into my dad’s old vinyl collection and discovering albums like Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Weather Report’s Black Market, and Return to Forever’s Romantic Warrior. Those fusion records in particular completely blew my mind — jazz, rock, and classical music all rolled into one? I was in. Add Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters to the mix, and that pretty much sealed the deal.

I went on to earn my BFA in Jazz Performance (Upright Bass) from Roosevelt University Chicago College of Performing Arts, and I’ve been performing professionally ever since. Whether I’m laying down a groove, supporting an ensemble, or just trying to make the music feel good, I bring a mix of versatility, experience, and genuine joy to every gig.

If you’re looking for a bassist who takes the music seriously — but not himself — I’d love to play for you.

zoofunkyou

In my senior year of high school, I joined my friends in a band originally called Zoo after the bassist and singer returned to his primary instrument, guitar. The chemistry was immediate, and we quickly began performing throughout the city and surrounding suburbs, competing in battles of the bands and building a dedicated following.

We later rebranded as Zoofunkyou, going on to perform at major festivals including North Coast Music Festival and Summer Camp Music Festival, as well as tour nationally. Between 2017 and 2019, we played shows in cities such as Denver, New York City, Dallas, New Orleans, Portland, Burlington, and Milwaukee, among many others.

After numerous evolutions and lineup changes, Zoofunkyou remains active and stronger than ever.