Matthew Halsall

Matthew Halsall

Matthew Halsall is a Manchester-born trumpeter, DJ and bandleader. His work draws on spiritual, modal and contemporary jazz, with clear influences from Alice Coltrane, John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, alongside the sound of 1960s British jazz. He is also associated with ambient and classical influences.

Career

Halsall records on his own Gondwana label, which is also listed as Gondwana Records. His earlier albums Sending My Love and Colour Yes build a large following and receive attention from broadcasters and magazines including Gilles Peterson, Jamie Cullum, Radio 3’s Late Junction, MOJO, BBC Music Magazine and BBC 6 Music.

His third album, On The Go, presents a reflection on late 1950s and early 1960s jazz. It is influenced by Miles Davis’ soundtrack to Lift To The Scaffold and by early 1960s recordings by Art Blakey and Max Roach. His music is described as balancing historical influence with a contemporary rhythm and feel.

Style and reception

Halsall is known for a trumpet sound that is expressive and clear. His music is associated with spiritual jazz and nu jazz, and it is linked with comparisons to Kind of Blue and The Cinematic Orchestra, as well as the phrase “rain-streaked spiritual jazz from Manchester”.