Bio

Long Island, NY singer/songwriter and guitarist Matt Marshak brings a truly unique blend of heartfelt music to the world. His sound and his songs transcend the limitations of genre and classification. From his funky jazz and blues albums to his latest singer songwriter releases, Matt’s music always strives to be honest and from the heart.  Whether it be festival stages across the world or an intimate small venue, Matt’s hope has always been to bring peace and joy to his audiences through his music. Some of his career highlights include two #1 songs on the jazz charts, his own furniture line from Pulaski Furniture, and tour dates across the globe.

Matt Marshak grew up in Eastern Long Island, NY. Rock n' roll and the blues were his first love. Guitarists Jimi Hendrix, Joe Satriani and BB King were some of his earliest influences. Matt performed with many bands as a sideman in NY performing at venues such as The Bitter End. On one special night  while Matt was performing, legendary Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore listened to the set and praised Matt for his guitar work--this was a pivotal moment for Matt and his musical journey. 

Later it would be jazz guitarists such as Larry Carlton and George Benson who would influence Matt's music. R&B and Funk icons such as Prince and James Brown also had a major impact on Matt's music. Matt began performing his own original jazz at a little restaurant in Oyster Bay, NY called "Fiddleheads." Within months the trio had attracted a big following and they were soon invited to perform at the IMAC theater in Huntington, NY. NYC jazz station CD101.9 at the time named Matt "Best New Artist" and he received airplay from his new album. 

Matt also began to tour the USA and Europe in support of his jazz releases. Matt would soon perform on the same bills as artists such as Carlos Santana, Larry Carlton, David Sanborn, among other iconic artists. Tour stops included the Dubai International Jazz Festival, Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, Spain's Mallorca Jazz Festival to name a few. In 2017 Matt was the featured artist with Prince saxman Marcus Anderson on a #1 Billboard Jazz song "Cup of Joe." Matt also toured and performed with Canadian Jazz/Funk group Four 80 East. 

The country/americana/crossover influence could start to be felt in Matt's music on his cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire." Matt put out an atmospheric and heartfelt vocal and instrumental version of the Bruce classic on his "On The Rocks" album. Artists such as Vince Gill, Paul Simon, James Taylor, Lyle Lovett, Keb Mo would also have a big influence on Matt's songwriting and singing style. 

In 2014 while performing in North Carolina, Matt was approached by Pulaski Furniture to put out a furniture line inspired by Matt's blend of blues and jazz music. The furniture line was called "Rhythm and Home" and featured two groups: "Vintage Tempo" and "Modern Harmony." Furniture legend Don Mitchell embraced this upcoming artist and the furniture line was sold across the USA. This was a major happening for Matt as an independent artist. Many new fans found out about Matt and his unique and eclectic style through this great opportunity. 

In 2019 Matt released his first ever vocal singer/songwriter album “Simple Man.” This album brought Matt’s soulful and unique voice to forefront.  This album included blues, country, folk, and roots music. The title track “Simple Man” featured a music video that was shared around the world with 300,000 views. The song “Prayer For You,” produced by Grammy Award winning producer Ben Wisch, also earned worldwide followers with the song being shared 1000’s of times. This album gave fans a chance to hear Matt’s voice alongside his trademark guitar tone. 

Besides recording and touring, a big part of Matt's life is also performing for children across the country. Matt regularly visits school bringing his love and passion for music and guitar to the next generation of our world. Matt's mission is to bring peace and joy through music, to expose children to real instruments, and to play a variety of styles and sounds for the children. Matt also visits many programs for children who have special needs. Matt believes that music is a "universal language" that everyone can feel and enjoy. 

Matt Marshak began with rock and blues, toured the world playing his brand of funky blues and jazz, and has now began another musical journey as a singer songwriter. His background is rich and diverse. His style is unique and original. He is Matt Marshak.

 

 

Simple Man

Matt Marshak