Manchester’s Matthew Halsall is a community-minded musician. Not content to play, produce, DJ, and compose, the trumpet player also founded Gondwana Records in 2008 to promote local talent. Releasing his debut, Sending My Love, on Gondwana in 2008, he has continued to put out albums under his own name and with the Gondwana Orchestra since. His latest project with the legendary singer Dwight Trible, entitled Inspirations, was released in 2017. The Guardian hailed the project as “ecstatic astral jazz”
Drawing inspiration from the likes of Alice Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, Halsall also imbues his sound with dance and electronica, transforming classics like Burt Bacharach’s “What the World Needs Now” and Cole Porter’s “I Love Paris” into enthralling and ethereal soundscapes. He keeps busy with his own groups while working with Phil France and Caoilfhionn Rose on their forthcoming releases.
He continues to support the musical fellowship with Gondwana, with the label releasing work by John Ellis and GoGo Penguin, Phil France, Portico Quartet and many more. He tours regularly, primarily throughout the UK and with dates in Europe and Japan on occasion.
The Sun In September