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Matthew Whitaker (pianist)

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Matthew Whitaker
Whitaker in Brooklyn in June 2020
Whitaker in Brooklyn in June 2020
Background information
Born (2001-04-03) April 3, 2001 (age 23)
Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresJazz
Instrument(s)Piano
Organ
Websitewww.matthewwhitaker.net

Matthew Whitaker (born April 3, 2001) is an American jazz pianist. Blind since birth, he has performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and the Apollo Theater, where, at 10, he was the opening performer for Stevie Wonder's induction into the Apollo Theater's Hall of Fame.[1][2][3][4][5]

Whitaker was the subject of Thrive, a 13-minute documentary about "the prodigious talent and irrepressible spirit of a musically precocious 12-year-old blind boy."[6]

Early life and education

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Whitaker was born in Hackensack, New Jersey to May and Moses Whitaker. Born three months prematurely, he weighed less than two pounds, and was given a less than 50 percent chance of survival. He was later diagnosed with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), which caused his blindness. On his third birthday, he played "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" on a toy Yamaha keyboard he had received as a birthday present. Whitaker had heard the song and played it by ear.[7][8]

Whitaker began taking piano lessons when he was 5 as the youngest student at The Filomen M. D'Agostino Greenberg Music School, a New York school for the blind and visually impaired. With perfect pitch, he learned to play piano mainly by listening, although he learned to read Braille music as well. He later studied at The Harlem School of the Arts, and in addition to taking lessons in classical and jazz piano, he learned to play the organ, percussion instruments, the clarinet and bass guitar. At 9, he earned the support of the Jazz Foundation of America, and as a teenager, he attended the Manhattan School of Music's Pre-College Jazz program.[3][9][10] His playing was influenced by Jimmy Smith, Joey DeFrancesco, Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Barry Harris, Erroll Garner, and Thelonious Monk.[11]

Career

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Whitaker playing a melodica in June 2020

On March 6, 2017, he released his first album, Outta the Box. Other musicians on the album include Christian McBride, Dave Stryker, Will Calhoun, Sammy Figueroa, Melissa Walker, and James Carter.[3]

In April 2017, Whitaker performed on the Ellen Degeneres Show and competed on Fox's Showtime at the Apollo, winning first place. Whitaker has toured Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Among other venues, he has performed at the main concert hall at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C and the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.[12][11] He was featured on 60 Minutes in Deccember, 2020. [13]

Discography

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  • Outta the Box (2017)
  • Now Hear This (2019)
  • Connections (2021)
  • On Their Shoulders: An Organ Tribute (2024)

References

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  1. ^ Facer, Brooke (April 26, 2017). "The Clean Cut: Blind teenage piano virtuoso's incredible performance on 'Ellen'". Deseret News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  2. ^ Levine, Cecilia (April 27, 2017). "Blind Hackensack Pianist Prodigy Performs On Ellen DeGeneres Show". Hackensack Daily Voice. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c Beckerman, Jim (April 15, 2017). "Blind N.J. piano prodigy draws comparisons to Stevie Wonder". USA Today Network via Bergen County Record. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  4. ^ Nelson, Havelock (February 20, 2017). "Matthew Whitaker Brings "The Holy Spirit" To Harlem School of The Arts Benefit Concert". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  5. ^ "This Blind Teenager Playing The Piano Is Phenomenal And TOTALLY Inspiring". Heart. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
  6. ^ "Thrive". sebatapolfilm.com. Sabastopol Film Festival. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  7. ^ Nelson, Havelock (February 20, 2017). "Matthew Whitaker Brings "The Holy Spirit" To Harlem School of The Arts Benefit Concert". Huffington Post. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  8. ^ Applebaum, Aliza (March 5, 2011). "691 shares Hackensack boy, 9, is blind but can play a song perfectly after hearing it once". Star-Ledger. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  9. ^ Delikat, Stacey (November 6, 2015). "Jazz House Kids helps young musicians dream". Fox News (New York). Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  10. ^ West, Michael J. (April 5, 2017). "Concert Review: 2017 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Is this the last one? Trump's FY2018 budget proposal eliminates the NEA". Jazz Times. Retrieved April 29, 2017.
  11. ^ a b "Blind N.J. piano prodigy draws comparisons to Stevie Wonder". KNews5 (NBC affiliate, Seattle). Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  12. ^ Stockly, Ed (April 25, 2017). "Wednesday's TV highlights: 'Fargo' on FX". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  13. ^ Alfonsi, Sharyn (December 27, 2020). "Matthew Whitaker: Meet the blind piano player who's so good, scientists are studying him - 60 Minutes - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
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