Matt Mayhall

All Styles

Bio

Drummer, composer, and educator Matt Mayhall earned Bachelor's of Music and Master's of Music degrees in percussion from the University of Nevada, Reno. He also holds an MFA in Jazz Studies from California Institute of the Arts, where he studied drums with Joe LaBarbera and improvisation with Charlie Haden and Wadada Leo Smith. Mayhall has worked with guitarist Anthony Wilson, avant-garde multi-instrumentalist Vinny Golia, visual/performance artist Mike Kelley, and is a member of saxophonist Peter Epstein Idee Fixe's band. He is a member of the band Spain (led by bassist/vocalist Josh Haden, son of jazz legend Charlie Haden), which has toured internationally and is currently at work on its fourth studio album. He has also performed, toured, and/or recorded with Patrick Park (Hollywood Records/Badman Recording Co.), Miranda Lee Richards (Virgin Records/ Nettwerk Records), Lenka (Epic Records), Big In Japan (Honest Don's/Insubordination Records), Honey Honey (Ironworks), and Spring Summer. As an educator, Matt has taught at the University of Nevada Reno, CalArts' Community Arts Partnership, the University of California San Diego Summer Jazz Camp and the Academy of Creative Education.

Teaching Philosophy

Matt's approach to teaching completely hinges upon the notion that the drums are musical instruments, not just something to beat on with unfocused energy! Musicality, dynamics, and listening are stressed heavily along with an intense exploration of the 'nuts and bolts' of drumming. Matt is also an accomplished concert percussionist, timpanist, and mallet player, and is available for instruction in these areas in addition to drumset studies.