Hallo!!

I’m Matt Benson. I’m a musician. I’ve been fortunate to play trombone, sing and play piano with an eclectic mix of musicians from many different walks of life.

I have a new Album “Sit Back Down Again” (listen HERE)

Listen to latest single from the album on Spotify here:

I have been in George Ezra’s band since May 2017.

Have a listen to a taster of a live version of ‘Rest Easy, Wake Happy’ live from Camden Recording Studios in Dublin from my debut album “Sit Back Down Again”.

Photo by Ruth Medjber

The Fire…

A fire broke out in my dad’s music shop in Belfast around about ‘94. The shop was completely trashed, all except for a little student model trombone that was found under a pile of smoking rubble on the top floor. It was still in working order, and between you and me I think the fire gave it something a bit special.

My da brought it home for me and we spent that evening cleaning it up in the kitchen sink. He taught me how to play ‘twinkle twinkle little star’ in C Major that night. Here’s a photo of me with my burnt up old trombone on that night:

True story… Thats how I came to play the trombone…

Brassroots

I began performing professionally in 2010 with lots of bands around London, notably New Orleans style brass band ‘Brassroots’. Far as I know, Brassroots was the first band to do that high energy pop covers thing in the UK. The bands cover of ‘Goodlife’ was re-mixed by Giles Peterson and it all kicked off! I learned a lot about how to perform with Brassroots with Jerome Harper and the lads. We played a lot of major festivals including WOMAD, Secret Garden Party and Glastonbury.

BomBom

At this time I was studying jazz at Trinity College of Music in Greenwich, London. I managed to find myself some work outside of college with a few smaller bands. Tried my hand at everything really. In 2012 I got a break and recorded on the Balkan/Dub-Step single ‘BomBom’ with a band called ‘Sam and the Womp’. A total shock when it went on to be a 4x Platinum number one selling single.

You just never know what’s around the corner, do ya?

The Ikos

Later, still living in London, around 2013-2016, I got hooked on the music of New Orleans namely because of the enthusiasm of a Virtuoso New Orleans Pianist named Dom Pipkin, and his band ‘The Ikos’. I had such a killer time learning how to play New Orleans trombone with ‘Dom and The Ikos’ “‘round London Town.

Bad Manners

From 2015 to 2017 I toured with the infamous Ska band ‘Bad Manners’. Adrian Cox (sax), Tony ‘Rico’ Richardson (sax) and Colin Graham (Trumpet). It was a monster brass section, a fun band and I had a blast on those gigs.

George Ezra

I began touring with George Ezra in May 2017 after a good friend put me forward for an audition. It’s been a massive adventure to be a part of something that special and be a part of it when it went stratospheric. We’ve played on Jools Hollands Hootenanny, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Late Show in New York, The Brit Awards 2019, the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury 2019, the Royal Albert Hall.

Everyone involved in the band and crew feels like family to me now. I feel very fortunate to have this in my life.

Notable recording/performance credits over the years include three tracks on the ‘Gold Rush Kid’ 2022 George Ezra Album!! I played one gig with The Pogues, a real treat. I did some recording with Amelia Warner (Slow Moving Millie), a very special day indeed. I jammed with drummer Zigaboo Modeleste, from the ‘The Meters’, in the 100 Club in London, again not something ill forget: ‘You gotta love it’ was Zigaboos advice to me when I asked how he’d managed to play for a living as long as he had. I still think about that one.

More recently I have played with Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy for the film ‘Lola’ about a time travelling radio!! Also a little track with the inimitable and wonderful Cathy Davy!

My most recent big highlight is playing with the Hot 8 Brass Band at their residency in The Howling Wolf, New Orleans.

Photo credit Ruth Medjber

Other bands or artists I’ve played with over the years:

Olive Jones, The Toasters, The Veils, Imperial Leisure, The Rails, Lamar, Brian May, Slash, Shara Nelson, Lifford David Shillingford, Coolio, Sonny Green, Paul Sanchez, Davis Rogan (Writer of music from HBO series Tremé), First Aid Kit, Roys Big Smoke Family, Max Splodge, Slow Moving Millie/Amelia Warner, The Rotterdam Ska-Jazz Foundation (RSJF), Larry Garner, Jamie Lenman, Jay-Dee Brassband, Dom and the Ikos, Radical Dance Faction, Darren Hayman, Cut The Funk, Ellis Island Sound, Paul Taylor's Blowpipes, Roberto Pla's Latin Ensemble, NI Soul Troop...

Matthew has recorded at Abbey Road Studio 2, SARM Studio 1, AIR Studios, Pool Studios, Camden Studios Dublin. He has worked with, among others, the following producers:

Joel Pott, Cian Boylan, James Wyatt, John Barrett, Raz Olsher, Rob Cass (Cave Productions Ltd.),Tom Newman, Richard Kayvan

YouTube Playlist

I am available for remote recording via the ‘contact me’ page, which goes straight to my personal email. I love being creative and collaborating with musical ideas so if you have any questions get in touch. I am very at home in the creative process :)

Some nice things nice people have said:

“Unrivalled in its charisma and charm.”

- George Ezra

“Great trombone player,  loved it” -

Quincy jones (At Montreux Jazz Festival 2019)

“Cooler than most — because it doesn’t try too hard to be.”

- Hot Press

“Vocal feel of Chris Stapleton and Nathaniel Rateliff,

his own distinctive take on soul, jazz and 60’s tinged R&B”

- Americana UK

“Big Voice, Irelands Dr.John”

- John Toal, BBC

“Beautiful Sweet Tone”

- Darryl Hunt, The Pogues

“A strong communicator who makes people feel alive”

- Marlbank

“A debut album dripping in soul, loss and late-night wanderings”

- Plastic Magazine

"Great albums tend to make an impact from the get-go. Even greater albums hit the mark when they make an instant impact in a modest way.” - Americana UK

“This guy can play his ass off”

Paul Sanchez (Composer for HBO series ‘Treme’)

 I am an artist with BAC Music, Kansas City