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Matthew Fries |
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Matthew Fries (pronounced “freece”) learned piano and music theory from his father, a piano professor at Pennsylvania’s Susquehanna University. His mother was a classical singer. Matthew played trumpet and sang is high school but returned to piano when a college jazz history class drew him to jazz piano. He went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in music from Ithaca College and a Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. He subsequently taught music and studied there with jazz piano great Donald Brown. Matthew moved to New York City in 1994 and won first place in the 1997 Great American Jazz Piano Competition, having placed second in the competition in 1996. He was a finalist in the American Pianists’ Association jazz piano competition in 1998. As a leader, Matthew released his debut CD, “Song for Today” (TCB Music) in 2001. The Jazziz Magazine critics pick includes original compositions and interpretations by Leonard Bernstein, Thad Jones, James Williams, Donald Brown, and a reworking of a James Taylor pop classic. Matthew lives in New York City and is becoming known as a singer’s accompanist. A critic for The New York Times describes him as, “the best jazz accompaniment I’ve seen in a cabaret in years” and “a distinct asset,” according to Variety Magazine. He tours with singers Curtis Stigers and Stacey Kent and has performed with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Vincent Herring, Tony Reedus, Charlie Persip, Walter Perkins, Jay Leonhart and others. Matthew performs regularly with his trio, playing a mix of originals and standards. |