Matthew Genovese

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Matthew Genovese is a musician from Toronto, Canada.



Origin	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Years active	2005 – present

[edit] History

At the age of 17, Matthew Genovese is already establishing himself as an original, compelling singer, prolific songwriter and accomplished musician. Matthew’s debut album, Today! Today! Today!, was released in June 2005. Currently Matthew is working with some well respected names in the music industry, both in the US and in Canada. Matthew was born and raised in Toronto, where he is currently finishing high school. Music has always been an important part of his life. Matt was a member of a prestigious children’s choir at the age of 5. He picked up his first guitar on his 9th birthday and studied the saxophone at the age of 12. The songwriting began at 13. “I always knew that I would do something with music. The guitar was like a gateway drug for me. Once I picked up it up, I started experimenting musically. That’s what got me writing.”

Courses at Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music honed Matthew's guitar skills and songwriting ability. John Mayer provided the strongest influence and inspiration for Matt to become a singer, songwriter and guitarist. Other important musical influences include Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Prince, Jeff Buckley, Ben Harper and Jonny Lang.

[edit] Commercial debut

By the age of 15, Matthew had more than enough material for his first album, Today! Today! Today! He began recording in the fall of 2004. All tracks were recorded and mixed at Eastern Studios in Toronto, the site of many legendary recording sessions for artists such as Alanis Morissette, Jimmy Rankin, and Brian Byrne. Over the course of the next 6 months, Matthew refined his unique blend of blues, rock and pop music. The resulting songs range from raw rock and funk tunes like "THC" and "Sexual Secrets", to the bluesy ballad, "Trust Me." “I write about how I feel, and try to express these feelings universally,” says Matthew. “For instance,” he states, “the song Waiting is about the search for a soul mate. You can’t just sit around and wait to fall in love. You have to go out and make it happen.”

Matthew Genovese.

Matthew’s mature lyrics and strong, melodic compositions “...are way beyond his years”, comments producer/arranger Gerry Mosby, who has produced records for Juno Award winners Alfie Zappacosta and Devon Martin, Juno nominee Sheree Jeacocke, and the debut CD for Staggered Crossing. “All lyrics and music featured on Today! Today! Today! were written by Matthew, with the exception of some musical collaboration with me, in the chorus of Without You. Matthew also performed all vocals and acoustic and electric guitars. He had definite ideas as to who he is musically, and how he wants to be perceived. He amazed me with his exploding talent and energy.”

Matthew is represented by veteran entertainment lawyer Jim Zumwalt of Nashville firm Zumwalt, Almon and Hayes whose clients include Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Tommy Sims, Faith Hill, Courtney Love, and the estate of Kurt Cobain.

Since the release of his debut album, Matthew has worked in London, UK, Los Angeles, and Nashville. He has co-written with Tommy Sims (producer of Bruce Springsteen’s "Streets of Philadelphia" and writer of Eric Clapton’s “If I Could Change the World”), Jude Cole (manager of Lifehouse, co-writer of the recent hit “You and Me”, and partner of Ironworks Music with Kiefer Sutherland), Alfie Zappacosta (Juno and American Music Award winner), and Dave Dunlop (The Full Nine). Matthew has recorded some of his new material in L.A. with producers Jim Barber (Ryan Adams and Courtney Love) and Jude Cole (Rocco DeLuca, Mozella). In Toronto, he continues to work with producer Gerry Mosby, and regularly performs with his band as well as with Julian Taylor of Staggered Crossing.