Jason Matthews
on SK2
Jason Matthews is a Miami-based artist, pianist, keyboardist, composer, and producer who grew up in the in the Greater Philadelphia Area. Originally inspired to play music by bands like Yes, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix, Jason started playing keyboard at age 13.
In high school, Jason studied piano under professor Terry Klinefelter at West Chester University. The piano lessons were loosely classical but eventually moved towards jazz. The discovery of pianists like Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Ahmad Jamal, Wynton Kelly, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau and Aaron Parks transitioned Jason into and whole new focus. At that time, he began heading into the city of Philadelphia to play at the jam sessions with his peers at The Philadelphia Clef Club and Chris' Jazz Cafe.
Jason attended the Frost School of Music of the University of Miami and studied jazz piano under Martin Bejerano, currently the piano player of the Roy Haynes Quartet. In college, he helped develop his current band, The Politix. The group originally started as live hip-hop project opening up for major acts like The Pharcyde, Wiz Khalifa, Dj Maseo (De La Soul), & Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Tribe Called Quest) but found its own unique sound through the tradition of soul music and songwriting. The band is currently performing at festivals and working on their second record.
Aside from writing and performing for other Miami-based bands (Electric Kif, Mag Pi, Roosevelt Collier, Sookie Sookie), Jason also produces and writes his own music.