Matt Zimbel
03/18/23 • 96 min
Matt Zimbel is a percussionist with the band Manteca, and also an award-winning writer, producer, documentary filmmaker, artistic director, broadcast executive and radio and tv host. In this fascinating episode he shares his insights gained from a wealth of experience across the music industry. We speak near the beginning about his father the photographer George Zimbel, who died this past January 2023, after we recorded the episode. We talk about the beautiful documentary film, “Zimbelism” that Matt made with director Jean-Francois Gratton. Matt offered that the trailer for Zimbelism, which features the music of Manteca, could be used in this episode. He has also generously let me weave in a pre-release of a fantastic new percussion piece with Art Avalos which will appear on Manteca’s upcoming Offspring Project.
The video version of this episode, with the transcript is here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mattzimbel
Matt Zimbel website: http://mattzimbel.com/ Manteca: https://manteca-music.com/ Busking in Deadwood video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBtrn8Mob5s Manteca albums on Bandcamp: https://mantecamusic.bandcamp.com/music
Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:30) early influences: Osibisa, jazz on CBC radio
(05:38) dropping out of school at 14, percussion studies Jim Farety, Dido Morris, John Ruddell, Armando’s Orchestra, forming Manteca
(08:30) intro Hit Record percussion piece with Art Avalos pre-release for Manteca’s The Offspring Project
(09:20) Hit Record
(10:31) learning percussion, playing diferent styles, recording disco
(12:30) early influences: Eddie Harris
(13:11) creating the film Zimbelism
(14:38) clip from trailer for Zimbelism
(16:03) making of Zimbelism, Elaine Sernovitz and George Zimbel
(21:03) adoption of Jodi from Korea, racism
(23:27) immgration to Canada to a farm on PEI
(26:00) Matt’s family’s reaction to him dropping out of school, living the freelance life as an artist
(27:59) orchestra life
(29:22) Manteca, Colleen Allen and memorizing music, Will Jarvis
(31:21) Road Stories with Manteca
(34:06) Manteca’s The Offspring Project
(44:46) Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis
(48:42) Canada Day show, PanAm Games
(58:41) publicity, finding new audiences, Canadian culture
(01:07:28) Doug Wilde creative process Manteca
(01:09:17) clip from Miss Météo from album Augmented Indiference,
(01:12:23) story about Miss Météo
(01:15:33) problem with streaming music, Busking in Deadwood video
(01:18:09) dealing with the pandemic through creativity, livestream with Lyne Tremblay, Matt’s sons
(01:21:45) the importance of good food
(01:23:01) Rick Tait
(01:24:59) crowdfunding and challenges for performers
(01:28:44) lessons learned from his parents
(01:32:05) Matt’s perspectives on a varied career
Matt Zimbel is a percussionist with the band Manteca, and also an award-winning writer, producer, documentary filmmaker, artistic director, broadcast executive and radio and tv host. In this fascinating episode he shares his insights gained from a wealth of experience across the music industry. We speak near the beginning about his father the photographer George Zimbel, who died this past January 2023, after we recorded the episode. We talk about the beautiful documentary film, “Zimbelism” that Matt made with director Jean-Francois Gratton. Matt offered that the trailer for Zimbelism, which features the music of Manteca, could be used in this episode. He has also generously let me weave in a pre-release of a fantastic new percussion piece with Art Avalos which will appear on Manteca’s upcoming Offspring Project.
The video version of this episode, with the transcript is here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/mattzimbel
Matt Zimbel website: http://mattzimbel.com/ Manteca: https://manteca-music.com/ Busking in Deadwood video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBtrn8Mob5s Manteca albums on Bandcamp: https://mantecamusic.bandcamp.com/music
Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:30) early influences: Osibisa, jazz on CBC radio
(05:38) dropping out of school at 14, percussion studies Jim Farety, Dido Morris, John Ruddell, Armando’s Orchestra, forming Manteca
(08:30) intro Hit Record percussion piece with Art Avalos pre-release for Manteca’s The Offspring Project
(09:20) Hit Record
(10:31) learning percussion, playing diferent styles, recording disco
(12:30) early influences: Eddie Harris
(13:11) creating the film Zimbelism
(14:38) clip from trailer for Zimbelism
(16:03) making of Zimbelism, Elaine Sernovitz and George Zimbel
(21:03) adoption of Jodi from Korea, racism
(23:27) immgration to Canada to a farm on PEI
(26:00) Matt’s family’s reaction to him dropping out of school, living the freelance life as an artist
(27:59) orchestra life
(29:22) Manteca, Colleen Allen and memorizing music, Will Jarvis
(31:21) Road Stories with Manteca
(34:06) Manteca’s The Offspring Project
(44:46) Leonard Cohen, Miles Davis
(48:42) Canada Day show, PanAm Games
(58:41) publicity, finding new audiences, Canadian culture
(01:07:28) Doug Wilde creative process Manteca
(01:09:17) clip from Miss Météo from album Augmented Indiference,
(01:12:23) story about Miss Météo
(01:15:33) problem with streaming music, Busking in Deadwood video
(01:18:09) dealing with the pandemic through creativity, livestream with Lyne Tremblay, Matt’s sons
(01:21:45) the importance of good food
(01:23:01) Rick Tait
(01:24:59) crowdfunding and challenges for performers
(01:28:44) lessons learned from his parents
(01:32:05) Matt’s perspectives on a varied career
Previous Episode
Aaron Weinstein: Jazz Mandolinist, Violinist, Arranger and Writer
My guest today is the phenomenal jazz violinist, mandolinist, arranger, and writer Aaron Weinstein. Aaron is a self-taught violinist and attended the renowned Berklee College on a 4 year talent based scholarship. As a young man he performed and recorded with many jazz legends. In this episode we talked about some of these mentors, including Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Les Paul, and this interview is full of Aaron’s stories and insights as a performer and educator. He has generously agreed to let me use two of his previously released self-produced videos so you can hear some of his playing. I first discovered Aaron in his comedy series with Linda Lavin; I encourage you to check it out along with his other projects and albums: http://www.aaronweinstein.net/
All my episodes are also a video and the transcript is at the same link: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/aaron-weinstein
Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:41) Aaron’s start on old-time fiddle (03:16) Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli (06:50) Mel Bay books Swingin’ Jazz Fiddle Solos and Mandolin Chord Melody System (09:28) Aaron Weinstein plays Avalon, both violin and mandolin (11:05) Don Stiernberg (12:27) “Give Me the Simple Life” Aaron Weinstein on mandolin (13:56) difference between jazz mandolin and jazz violin (17:18) Album 3x3 on Chesky label (18:21) Berklee College of Muisic, Sandy Kott first formal violin lessons (23:32)Les Paul (25:05) playing with jazz legends as a young man, learning the tunes, Annie Ross (27:46) lyrics, Sondheim, Andy Zerman (30:35) working with Broadway singers and appreciating different genres (33:59) self-criticism, dealing with different performance realities (36:15) Joe Venuti, Eddie Lang, Johnny Frigo (38:54) Linda Lavin, Irvin Arthur (45:12) agents, jazz in the music business (46:59) mandolin, violin, guitar, Hamilton de Holanda (49:11) teaching jazz (56:03) giving and getting feedback (59:04) getting established in New York, support from John Pizzarelli (01:01:26) arranging, practicing classical music, interpretation and originality (01:06:43) writing (01:13:54) advice for younger players, problems with social media (01:20:19) how to practice, improvisation (01:26:05) Les Paul story (01:28:00) missing the opportunity to hear Stéphane Grappelli
Next Episode
Destiny Muhammad: Jazz Harpist and Composer and her inspiring personal story
I was so honoured to have this opportunity to talk with the inspiring Destiny Muhammad, who is a California-based jazz harpist and composer. You’ll get to hear inspiring stories from her life as well as her music. She had a dream to play the harp but didn’t have the opportunity until she was 30 years old. She speaks openly about the challenges in the 1980s due to the crack cocaine trade, her success as a barber, her determination and mentors including John Handy, and her unique perspectives in celebrating the legacies of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. When we recorded the episode, I experienced an incredible private concert including several of her original tunes. However, after we listened to the tracks, we agreed it would be even better if she were to record the music separately to have the best possible harp sound, which she generously agreed to do.
Like all my episodes this is available as both as a video and a podcast, with transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/destiny-muhammad-jazz-harpist
Destiny Muhammad website: https://destinymuhammad.net/
Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(03:29) Algorithms (harp)
(05:18) Destiny’s start on the harp, Stephanie Kaufman Osborne
(09:55) learning jazz, Dorothy Ashby, Alice Coltrane, Khalil Shaheed
(15:22) John Handy
(20:16) Alice Coltrane tribute concerts SF Jazz
(26:45) Dorothy Ashby
(31:37) If it’s magic (harp)
(36:06) Shirley Muramoto, San Francisco Symphony
(37:00) Amateur Music Network, SF Jazz community jam sessions,
(40:37) Teaching jazz, teaching music
(53:14) creative process
(59:15) tribute to Rosie Lee Tompkins
(01:08:40) lessons learned from running a barbershop
(01:21:20) growing up in the projects, dealing with bigotry
(01:25:51) compositions for orchestra, Matt Wong arranger
(01:29:06) Coltrane (harp)
If you like this episode you’ll love
Episode Comments
Featured in these lists
Generate a badge
Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode
<a href="https://goodpods.com/podcasts/conversations-with-musicians-with-leah-roseman-258270/matt-zimbel-30337791"> <img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/goodpods-images-bucket/badges/generic-badge-1.svg" alt="listen to matt zimbel on goodpods" style="width: 225px" /> </a>
Copy