Avant garde jazz pianist, composer and bandleader, Matthew Shipp gave a mesmerizing solo performance at the Undead Jazz Festival. This stream is no longer available. Matthew Shipp will be including this live performance as part of a February 2011 two album release. You can find more details for the album by clicking right here.

BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY:

Hometown: New York City

The Facts: This virtuoso multi-faceted jazz pianist is considered a masterful technician and creative visionary. His chamber jazz music as well as the “Blue Series” he created for the Thirsty Ear label push jazz music into bold new directions. Before going solo Shipp played with both David S. Ware and Roscoe Mitchell.

The Sound: Listening to Shipp’s one long continuous set without breaks, one would swear the man has more than a single pair of hands. How else to explain rapid-fire passages, dark brooding adagio refrains or a random snippet of “Fly Me to The Moon”? To hear Shipp puts his entire body into his playing, check out the vigorous ivory smashing at the 30:10 mark.

Latest Release: 4 D (Thirsty Ear)

He Says/She Says: “There are touchstones Shipp evokes, however unintentionally—Keith Jarrett’s lyricism and willingness to return to melodic motifs after inspired detours, Cecil Taylor’s fun-to-watch physicality—but his voice is surely his own.” - Evan Haga, Jazz Times

“Matthew Shipp is intelligent, assured and outspoken and one can hear it in his music. He displays no fear, no worry about his place in the jazz continuum, no making it palatable for gentle ears - drop your expectations when you come to "4D", get into Shipp's flow and the rewards are great.” - Richard B Kamins, Step Tempest