INTERVIEW: Jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker to celebrate ‘Connections’ at Harlem Stage
Photo: Matthew Whitaker will play a sold-out concert at Harlem Stage. Photo courtesy of Jacob Blickenstaff / Provided by Shore Fire Media with permission.
Matthew Whitaker has quickly become an in-demand jazz musician, a pianist who plays his instrument with great skill and soaring beauty. At 20 years old, he has a long career in front of him, and he has already proved himself on stages around the world. On Saturday, Sept. 25, he is set to perform songs from his newest album, Connections, in a theater that means a great deal to him: Harlem Stage, part of its Uptown Nights series.
The pianist named the album Connections because it speaks to the deep relationships he has had with many musicians and collaborators over the years. These 16 songs offer Whitaker a chance to showcase those friendships and highlight the connections that can be found amongst people in the world — even at a time of great isolation and tremendous difficulty.
“It’s going to be my CD release party on the 25th,” Whitaker said in a recent Zoom interview. “I’m really excited for this performance. I’ve been going to New York since I was very little. … New York has been a second home really. I’m really excited and ready. The whole band is going to be there. We’re going to have a great time.”
Press notes describe Connections as Whitaker’s most personal recording. He was born blind 20 years ago in Hackensack, New Jersey, and eventually found music at the age of 3. Since then, he has been enamored with the art form, learning from the greats and putting his own spin on original compositions. Connections displays this personal and professional growth.
“Connections is really an album that focuses on the relationships or connections I have with other artists and their relationships or connections with me musically and spiritually,” he said. “Me and Derrick Hodge, the producer, decided to pick musicians that I’ve worked with over the years and a lot of great friends of mine. Yeah, there are a lot of original tunes and arrangements. It’s really cool. … Some songs were made before the pandemic, but a lot of them were made during the pandemic.”
Listeners can enjoy songs with titles like “A New Day” and “It Will Be Okay,” plus classic tunes such as Duke Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore” and Stevie Wonder’s “Lately.” His guest collaborators include Jon Batiste, Regina Carter, Alvester Garnett and Steve Oquendo, in addition to the tried-and-true band members who have been by his side.
These past two years have been difficult for everyone, particularly for those in the live-performance industry. For the most part, Whitaker has been away from his fans for many months, and he cannot wait to get back in front of them during this weekend concert in Harlem.
“I love the interaction between the artist and the audience, so not having that was a bit different to get used to,” Whitaker said. “But I’m grateful that I was still able to perform virtually. Even during the pandemic, I had a few shows toward the end of the year where there were audiences. It was really cool to perform.”
Whitaker said he is blessed with the gift of music, and he has felt that way for a long time. At the young age of 3, his first foray into appreciating the art form was via nursery rhymes. He would teach himself these tunes and impressed his family so much that eventually his grandfather bought him a keyboard. At age 5, he started training with classical piano, and today he still works with the same teacher from those early lessons 15 years ago. His instrumentation even extends beyond the piano and now includes the Hammond organ, Fender Rhodes and synthesizer.
Jazz, an important influence in his life, came at age 7. “I love [jazz] because it allows you to be you,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about playing everything exactly like it’s written, whereas other styles you have to play everything exactly how it’s recorded or written on a sheet of paper. But with jazz, you can be you and flow.”
After learning jazz — and soaking in music from the greats like Art Tatum, Jimmy Smith, Mulgrew Miller, Herbie Hancock and Chick Corea — Whitaker started to branch out once again.
“I love taking other people’s ideas and putting it into my own style,” he said. “When I was 5, I went to the [Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School]. … When I was about 7 or 8, I went to Harlem School of the Arts, and when I was 9, I went to the Apollo Theater. … Every one of those locations was in Harlem, and going back to the Harlem Stage, it’s great to be back.”
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Matthew Whitaker’s new album is called Connections. He will play Saturday, Sept. 25 as part of the Uptown Nights series at Harlem Stage. Click here for more information. Tickets are sold out.
