Matthew Muneses Quintet with Matthew Endres

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Denis Cheng

Matthew Muneses

press release: Matt Muneses: "(An) extremely competent saxophonist... with shades of (Ornette) Coleman."- Roger Farbey, All About Jazz

Born in Baltimore, MD, and raised in Decatur, IL, P. Mauriat Performing Artist Matthew Muneses is an up-and-coming saxophonist currently residing near Chicago. He began learning the saxophone at age 10, after beginning music studies with the violin at age 6. After high school, Matthew completed degrees in Saxophone Performance at Illinois State University and in Jazz Performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 2015, Matthew participated in an invitation-only workshop with Steve Coleman and the Five Elements, hosted by the University of Chicago. Through this workshop, he was afforded the opportunity to study with and perform alongside Steve Coleman and members of his band, including Jonathan Finlayson and Miles Okazaki.

Matthew has also had the pleasure of leading groups at a number of respected establishments and music festivals, including the Green Mill (Chicago), Catalina Bar & Grill (Los Angeles), Kranzberg Arts Center (St. Louis), and Andy's Jazz Club (Chicago), as well as the Woodstock Jazz Festival (Woodstock, IL) and Pygmalion Music Festival (Champaign, IL). Having developed a love of educating future generations of musicians, Matthew has given clinics and masterclasses at the high school and collegiate level, notably at Illinois State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University. His private students have been selected to ILMEA All-State and district ensembles, as well as the national YoungArts competition, and also successfully auditioned at numerous universities. Matthew has also studied and performed with such musicians as Miguel Zenón, Steve Coleman, Jonathan Finlayson, Adam Larson, Clark Sommers, Stu Mindeman, Geof Bradfield, Dana Hall, Chip McNeill, Ron Bridgewater, Tito Carrillo, and Chip Stephens.

In March 2015, Matthew recorded his debut record, "Threshold," featuring trumpeter Zubin Edalji, pianist Steven Feifke, bassist Raviv Markovitz, drummer Jay Sawyer, and produced by friend and fellow saxophonist, Adam Larson, which was released in November 2015.

Matthew Charles Endres: Born in Sauk City, Wisconsin, Matthew Endres is the adjunct professor of drum set and jazz history at the University of Wisconsin. In addition, he adjudicates music festivals and competitions extensively throughout the United States. He received his bachelor of music degree in drum set at the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, his master’s degree in jazz studies from the University of Illinois, and is ABD in his doctoral degree in jazz studies and ethnomusicology at the University of Illinois. Endres has performed extensively as a bandleader and a sideman in national and international venues. He is the drummer for the international award-winning group Old Style Sextet, which in 2014 placed second in the world-renowned Cotai Jazz and Blues Competition in Macau, China.

He has appeared on multiple albums, including It’s About Time (2013) with the Adrian Barnett Septet; the Old Style Sextet self-titled album issued by Blujazz (2014); Chris Beyt’s 120 (2015); The Clark Gibson Studio Orchestra’s record Bird with Strings: The Lost Arrangements, issued by Blujazz (2015); The Chris Beyt Trio’s A Trio For Three, issued by Ears&Eyes Records (2020); and The University of Illinois Concert Jazz Band’s record The Music of Pepper Adams (2020). Endres was a top three finalist for the nationally renowned premier big bands The Jazz Ambassadors and the Army Blues, two of the top big bands in the country. He has worked with talented artists, including, Grammy-award winner Doc Severinson, Rufus Reid, Brad Leali, Chris Brubeck, Charles McPherson, Sharel Cassity, Marquis Hill, Robert Irving III, Frank Gambale, Tom Garling, Víctor García, Michael Blum, Shawn Purcell, Darden Purcell, Oliver Nelson Jr, Jim Pugh, Dave Pietro, Grammy-award winner Charles “Chip” McNeill, Ron Bridgewater, Dave D’Angelo, Carlos Vega, Larry Gray, Jeff Halsey, Glenn Wilson, Richard Drexler, Mark Colby, Alex Graham, Clark Gibson, Tito Carrillo, John “Chip” Stephens, Joan Hickey, and Adrian Barnett. Endres currently holds an endorsement with Bopworks Drumsticks, based in Austin, Texas.