Matt Kendrick

Composer/Double Bassist Matt Kendrick is a North Carolina native, born April 1st 1957 in Greenville, N.C. His family moved to Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1961, where he grew up, graduated from High School and attended The North Carolina School of the Arts for three years. He then moved to New York City in 1977 and stayed for four years playing in a multitude of Avant-Garde situations.He considers his time there a great education. After New York it was on to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for studies with Jazz educator, Jerry Coker and a stint in the Knoxville Symphony Bass section. Then it was back home to Winston-Salem where he has been since 1981. Matt has produced and released five CDs, four on his own label Suitcase Music and one on Ichiban Records. On these recordings there are over forty compositions by Matt Kendrick. His cds have have received air play and critical acclaim all over the United States, even appearing on national radio charts. He has also garnered many grants and fellowships. Matt won the North Carolina Jazz Composers Fellowship twice; 1988, 1994. He is the first person to win this large award (5000 to 8000 dollars) two times. The Matt Kendrick Unit has played many festivals, museums, clubs and other functions all over the southeast. Recently Matt Kendrick has appeared on Bass with: Marian McPartland, Ernie Watts, Gene Bertoncini, and JoAnne Brackeen who was a guest star with the Matt Kendrick Unit at the Carrboro ArtsCenter. The Unit also performed an exciting new work of Art/Jazz and Dance with the Wall Street DanceWorks in Asheville, NC at The Pack Place in spring 94. Recently Kendrick completed a performance with Jazz greats Archie Shepp and Jaki Byard at Secca in Winston-Salem, NC. Matt also scores music for films, his credits include “The Dark Power” (staring Lash LaRue) “The Darien Gap” (2nd place at the Sundance Festival) “Weather or Not” (5 minute film featuring Charles Neville). With recent performances at the American Contemporary Theater Festival , The Bele Chere Festival, At Secca with Amiri Baraka(aka Leroi Jones) and Craig Harris, and The Brevard Jazz Festival; Matt Kendrick continues a strong legacy of memorable concerts. 

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