Matthew skoller is one of ChiCago’s Most respeCted harp blowers and blues bandleaders. For the past 27 years he has played all of Chicago’s heaviest showcase venues and toured

much of the world with his super tight ensembles. Deeply rooted in the tradition of the

Chicago blues elders with whom he worked and studied, Skoller has developed a unique

style that conjures the past while being firmly planted in the present. Skoller, known

for his fiery and engaging performances, combines passionate harp playing and singing

with original song writing and prodigious production skills. He has self produced four of his own critically ac-

claimed CDs. As a producer he has produced two award

winning CDs by Lurrie Bell: Let’s Talk About Love and

The Devil Ain’t Got No Music. Skoller penned the title cut

of the latter, which was nominated for song of the year by

the Blues Music Awards in the US. The same album was

awarded the Prix Blues by L’Academie du Jazz in Paris,

France in 2012. Matthew has played harmonica on two

Grammy nominated CDs in the last four years: Chicago

Blues: A Living History and Still I Rise, by Heritage Blues

Orchestra.

Matthew collaborated with his brother Larry Skoller

(producer) on the Grammy nominated, historical project,

Chicago Blues: A Living History. He co-produced and

FOR BOOKING INFORMATION , PLEASE CONTACT MATTHEW AT

maxsko@mindspring.com • (773) 771-5364 • P.O. Box 25982, Chicago, IL 60625 • www.matthewskoller.com

Matthew Skoller playS hohner harMonicaS

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE

to hear ms click here: http://www.matthewskoller.com/radio/launch.htmlsee ms at montreux jazz festival: http://matthewskoller.com/montreux/

CL ICK HERE TO L ISTEN TO THE MATTHEW SKOLLER BAND

CL ICK HERE FOR A V IDEO OF MATTHEW AT THE MONTREUX JAZZ FEST IVAL

played on volume two The (R)evo-

lution Continues which won Tra-

ditional album of the year at the

Blues Music Awards in 2012. He

lent his production experience,

deep knowledge of Chicago Blues

history, and his harmonica to this

project that is now being hailed

by critics as one of the greatest

Chicago Blues events of our time.

In the last four years Matthew

has played in Mali, Mauritania,

Tunisia, Camaroon, asked to be

a featured guest with Lurrie Bell

at The Japan Blues Festival in

Aomori Japan in 2012, only to be

asked back in 2013 to headline

the same festival with his own

group! Matthew has been invit-

ed to perform twice at the Resi-

dence of the U.S. Ambassador to

France in Paris. As well as play-

ing the world renown Montreux

Jazz Festival in 2012 and many

other festivals throughout Eu-

rope and the US. Matthew is also

a regular performer at New York

City’s 55 Bar where he collabo-

rates several times a year with

many of his favorite New York

musicians including Bill Sims

Jr. and Junior Mack.

In 2013 Matthew was asked

by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

to produce, organize and perform the grande finale of the

Chicago Blues Festival. Skoller’s theme was Old School,

New Millennium. His mentor James Cotton headlined this

star-studded event which was acclaimed as one of the best

all-star events in recent Chicago Blues Festival history.

Matthew Skoller started playing blues music in 1979.

In 1987 he moved to Chicago to

catch the tail end of the golden

era of Chicago Blues. The art-

ists that encouraged the 25-year-

old were masters such as Dave

and Louis Myers, Junior Wells,

Johnny Littlejohn, Magic Slim,

Lonnie Brooks, Son Seals, Koko

Taylor, James Cotton, Buddy

Guy, Little Smokey Smothers,

Big Smokey Smothers, Hubert

Sumlin, Willie Kent, and Jimmy

Rodgers who hired Skoller to

play several Chicago gigs with

him and offered him the harp

seat in his band. At the same

moment, Big Daddy Kinsey and

the Kinsey Report asked Mat-

thew to join their ensemble at a

time when their success was at

its peak. Jimmy advised Mat-

thew to go on the road with this

ascending group as they were

on the cusp of great success.

Matthew toured with them and

recorded an album on Blind Pig

Records with the group. Mat-

thew went on to record with

Koko Taylor, John Primer, Dei-

tra Farr, Big Time Sarah, Harvey

Mandel, Bernard Allison and

H-Bomb Ferguson. In 1993 Mat-

thew put together his own group

and has been a band leader ever since.

When not on tour Matthew and his group can be seen

live in Chicago at many venues including Buddy Guy’s

Legends who has been employing Matthew since their

club opened in 1989. 25 years and counting! Matthew has

emerged as one of Chicago’s most accomplished blues-

based artists.

— 2 —

“Over the years I’ve watched Matthew Skoller, it’s obvious he’sdone his homework. I love the way he plays harp.”– JaMes Cot ton

top: James Cotton backstage with Matthew. middle: Matthew jamming with Buddy Guy at his club in Chicago.

bottom: Sharing with John Primer at the 2013 Chicago Blues Festival.

— 3 —

Matthew holds a harmonica workshop for Japanese children in Aomori Japan in 2012.

Watch a video of the Matthew Skoller Band performing LIVE at the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival

the Matthew skoller band is a highly skilled, highly professional organization with extensive regional

touring experence, gigs at prestigious national venues, and

national and international festival appearances. For the

last 25 years, The Matthew Skoller Band performed over

ten times a year at Buddy Guy’s Legends, perhaps the

world’s best-known blues club. This helped them build a

large and enthusiastic following throughout Chicago, the

Midwest and the world. Skoller and crew had an eight-

year run every Sunday at the House of Blues in Chicago

and still play the venue on an ongoing basis. Other high-

lights have been performances at The 2012 Montreux Jazz

Festival, The Japan Blues Festival in 2012 and 2013,

an African tour of Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia and Cam-

eroon, the 2004 Lucerne Blues Festival. The Mawazine

World Music Festival in Rabat Morocco in 2006 and again

in 2008. Matthew also has performed at numerous festi-

vals and club gigs in England, Italy, Norway, Belgium,

Spain, Switzerland, Greece, Chile, Holland, France, Lux-

embourg, Germany, Finland and China.

NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL APPEARANCES

“MatthEW SkOLLEr and his band were invited to the Japan Blues Festival 2013 and they had a great performance... the audience was extremely excited by his music and enjoyed true Chicago Blues!”

– SEn YaManaka, p r o M o t e r o f J a pa n b l u e s f e s t i va l

Kenny “Beedy Eyes”Smith, Larry Skoller, legendary Ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate, Bill Sims Jr. and Matthew Skoller at sound check in Bamako, Mali (2010).

— 4 —

RECORDINGS

n As band leader and producer (TONGUE ‘N GrOOvE rECOrDs):

• These Kind Of Blues (2005) MOJO MagazIne’s tOP ten BLues aLBuMs Of 2005

• Taproot (2004) • Shoulder To The Wind (2000) • Bone To Pick With You (1996)

n Matthew has appeared on records released by all of Chicago’s blues labels: Alligator Records, Blind Pig Records, Delmark Records and Earwig Records.

n 2013: Featured harmonica player on Lurrie Bell’s Blues In My Soul (DElmArk)

n 2012: Produced and played on the Lurrie Bell’s award winning album: The Devil Ain’t Got No Music (ArIA

B.G. rECOrDs). The title cut penned by Skoller was nominated for song of the year by the Blues Music Awards.

n 2011: Played on Grammy nominated Heritage Blues Orchestra album And Still I Rise (rAIsIN mUsIC).

n 2011: Skoller was a featured soloist and co-producer of Chicago Blues: A Living History The (R)evolution Continues (rAIsIN mUsIC) which won Best Traditional Blues album of the year at the Blues Awards.

n Featured soloist on Toronzo Cannon’s 2011 release Leaving Mood (DElmArk)

n 2009: Featured soloist on Chicago Blues: A Living History (rAIsIN mUsIC) which garnered a Grammy nomination.

n 2008: Matthew produced and played on Let’s Talk About Love (ArIA BG rECOrDs) Lurrie Bell’s critically acclaimed “come-back” album.

n More recordings with others: Deitra Farr, Let It Go! JsP rECOrDs (2005)

Koko Taylor, Royal Blue AllIGATOr rECOrDs (2000) • Big Time Sarah, A Million Of You DElmArk (2000)

Michael Coleman, Do Your Thing! DElmArk (2000) • John Primer, Knockin At Your Door TElArC (2000)

John Primer, Keep On Lovin’ The Blues CODE BlUE (1997) • Bernard Allison, Keepin’ The Blues Alive CANNONBAll (1997)

H-Bomb Ferguson, Wiggin’ Out EArwIG (1993) • Larry Garner, You Need to Live A Little POlyGrAm (1993)

Harvey Mandel, Twist City wEsTErN FrONT (1993) • Big Daddy Kinsey, Can’t Let Go BlIND PIG (1989)

— 4 —

“his songs possess a touch of class and a welcome socialconscience too often absent from a genre that often relieson references to a long-gone past. Skoller and companydeliver Chicago-style tunes worth repeated listenings.”

– ChIp O’BrIEn, Blues Revue

“These Kind of Blues! is a powerful album that needs

to be heard... Not since the old days have I heard such pas-

sionate, straight-from-the-heart expression in blues lyrics...

The songs project a seasoned maturity, a wisdom; they

move way beyond the adolescent sexuality and tired heart-

break of too many modern blues songs. You definitely

need these kind of blues.”

— Niles FraNtz, WBez, ChiCago PuBliC radio

“This release has a huge impact on its first play it fairly

drips with all the best in Chicago Blues—grooves, beat,

strong lyrics, musicianship and urban grind.”

— BLuES MAttErS (u.K.)

“Matthew Skoller is one of today’s top harmonica players

clearly influenced by artists such as Sonny Boy Williamson.

He’s a good singer who can be a gritty vocalist. He is an

even better songwriter, taking Blues traditions into modern

times with contemporary themes beyond the sexuality and

heartbreak of too many Blues songs.”

— James WalKer • CoNtriButiNg editor, BLuESWAx

“His throaty singing and his harmonica playing are true-

blue in the idiom, but this is no conventional travelogue

from the Chicago of 40 years ago: his songs are either set

firmly in the present, like Wired World, or choose traditional

motifs only to transform them, as in Down At Your Buryin’.”

— toNy russell, MoJo MAGAziNE (u.K.)

“The Matthew Skoller Band is an outstanding group that

expresses blues in the urban or Chicago blues idiom.

These Kind of Blues! offer Matthew Skoller as a brilliant

and significant songwriter, arranger, harpist, vocalist and

bandleader. He presents contemporary blues with silhou-

tettes of Junior Parker, James Cotton and Jimmy Reed. …

living and breathing the pathos of tradition and history.”

— sterliNg PlumPP, BiG City BLuES

— 5 —

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