Matthew Shipp

Matthew Shipp
Background information
Birth name	Matthew Shipp
Born	December 7, 1960 (1960-12-07)
Origin	Wilmington, DE
Genres	Free jazz Avant-garde jazz Free improvisation Post bop
Occupations	pianist, leader
Instruments	Piano
Years active	1987 -
Labels	Thirsty Ear, FMP, No More, hatOLOGY
Website	Official Website

Matthew Shipp (born December 7, 1960) is an American pianist, composer and bandleader.

Shipp was raised in Wilmington, Delaware, and began playing piano at six years old. His mother was a friend of trumpeter Clifford Brown.

He was strongly attracted to jazz, but also played in rock groups while in high school. Shipp attended the University of Delaware for one year, then the New England Conservatory of Music, where he studied with saxophonist/composer Joe Maneri. He has cited private lessons with Dennis Sandole (who also taught saxophonist John Coltrane) as being crucial to his development.

Shipp has been very active since the early 1990s, appearing on dozens of albums as a leader, sideman or producer. He was initially most active in free jazz, but has since branched out, notably exploring music that touches on contemporary classical, hip hop and electronica. His dense, percussive style is often compared to Cecil Taylor's, although Shipp has argued such comparisons are mostly superficial.

Shipp has long been a member of saxophonist David S. Ware's quartet. He has recorded or performed with many musicians, including William Parker, DJ Spooky, Joe Morris, Daniel Carter, Roscoe Mitchell, Mat Maneri, High Priest and Beans of Antipop Consortium, and El-P.

In February 2011, Shipp released a double-disc album entitled "Art of the Improviser." This release is "testament to Shipp’s achievements, yet it is also a continuation of the discovery in his developmental musical language." The Chicago Tribune called the project "monumental" and "galvanic as ever."Shipp's expansive work in a trio format is highlighted with long time rhythm section from drummer Whit Dickey. Texturally, Dickey brings everything from a raspy murmur of brushes to a fierce bashing of cymbals with his interactions, creating a dialogue with both bass and piano. To add to this mix is the extremely gifted Michael Bisio, on bass, who is a genuine stylist dazzling on his instrument. Both Dickey and Bisio are seasoned improvisers and leaders in the own rights, bringing to the trio a level of creatively of exquisite styling.

Shipp has been continuously improving his repertoire from touring the world, writing new compositions and currently collaborating with Washington DC multi-media artist Barbara Januszkiewicz. Together they are exploring a new territory through an avant-garde film called “The Composer with Matthew Shipp/ Barb Januszkiewicz."

Discography

Solo

• Symbol Systems (No More, 1995)
• Before the World (FMP, 1997)
• Songs (Splasc(h), 2001)
• One (Thirsty Ear, 2006)
• Un Piano (Rogue Art, 2008)
• 4D (Thirsty Ear, 2010)
• Creation Out Of Nothing (Live in Moscow) (SoLyd, 2010) 2CDs

As leader/co-leader

• Sonic Explorations (Cadence Jazz, 1987–88) with Rob Brown
• Circular Temple (Quinton, 1990)
• Points (Silkheart, 1991)
• Zo (Rise, 1993) with William Parker
• Prism (Brinkman, 1993)
• Critical Mass (2.13.61, 1994)
• 2-Z (2.13.61, 1996) with Roscoe Mitchell
• The Flow of X (2.13.61, 1996)
• By the Law of Music (hatOLOGY, 1996)
• Thesis (hatOLOGY, 1997) with Joe Morris
• The Multiplication Table (hatOLOGY, 1997)
• Strata (hatOLOGY, 1997)
• Gravitational Systems (hatOLOGY, 1998) with Mat Maneri
• DNA (Thirsty Ear, 1999)
• Magnetism (Bleu Regard, 1999)
• Expansion, Power, Release (hatOLOGY, 1999)
• Pastoral Composure (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2000)
• New Orbit (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2000)
• Nu Bop (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2002)
• Equilibrium (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2002)
• Antipop vs. Matthew Shipp (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2003)
• The GoodandEvil Sessions (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2003) with Roy Campbell, Alex Lodico, Miso, William Parker, Josh Roseman
• The Sorcerer Sessions (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2003) with Gerald Cleaver and William Parker
• High Water (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2004) Blue Series Continuum and El-P
• The Trio Plays Ware (Splasc(h) 2004)
• Harmony and Abyss (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2004) with Gerald Cleaver and William Parker
• Phenomena of Interference (Hopscotch, 2006) with Steve Dalachinsky
• Salute to 100001 Stars - A Tribute to Jean Genet (Rogue Art, 2006) with Declared Enemy
• Piano Vortex (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2007) with Joe Morris and Whit Dickey
• Right Hemisphere (Rogue Art, 2008) with Rob Brown, Joe Morris and Whit Dickey
• Harmonic Disorder (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2009) with Joe Morris and Whit Dickey
• Night Logic (Rogue Art, 2011) Trio with Marshall Allen and Joe Morris
• Art of the Improviser (Thirsty Ear Blue Series, 2011) with William Parker and Whit Dickey
• SaMa Live in Moscow (SoLyd, 2011) Duo with Sabir Mateen
• Cosmic Lieder (AUM, 2011) Duo with Darius Jones

As sideman

With Roscoe Mitchell

• Nine to Get Ready (ECM, 1997)

Bibliography

• Logos And Language: A Post-Jazz Metaphorical Dialogue (Rogue Art, 2008) with Steve Dalachinsky

External links

• Official site
• Culture Catch Music Salon & Dusty Wright Interview with Matthew