What would be your description of your sound and approach to music?

There really isn’t a specific style or genre I stick to. I usually tell people “singer/songwriter”, but there’s definitely hints of many other styles in there. Hints of this and that or maybe there’s a country song, or a soul song that just kind of appears. I just write, I rarely put myself on assignment to write something specific unless I have to.

Who are are your major influences to your sound and philosophy?

There are too many people to list that have shaped and re-shaped and still re-shape me. From people very close like my wife and family, to people I have been listening to for years. I listen to a bit of everything, so musically some of my artistic influences are James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, John Mayer, D’Angelo, Michael Jackson, Rufus, Wainwright, Billy Joel and many others. I listen to a lot of classical and Brazilian music, some Ennio Morricone or Djavan. I’ve yet to specifically answer a question, haha, just an example of how my head is constantly in the clouds looking all over at the interesting objects and listening to all the pretty sounds. haha

What’s your teaching approach?

Unfortunately a lot of young musicians these days feel the way to get noticed is the reality shows, American Idol, The Voice. I hate that. I try to tell kids to learn an instrument, write a bunch of songs here and there, a lot of them will suck, and you’ll make a ton of mistakes, but it gets better. Go play at Starbucks or whatever tiny little place in your area that has live music. Make a fan here and a fan there. Grow with your craft and create your career. Play and/or sing EVERYWHERE, for whoever. Make business cards and network everywhere you go. It’s amazing how it all grows month after month, year after year.

What main advice would you share with performers just a starting out?

Listen to everything and learn an instrument if you’re a singer. It’s always great to be able to play anywhere, anytime without having to get someone to accompany you. And again, play everywhere!

What is your dream band that you have already worked with or would like to?

The band I’m playing with now is a dream band for sure! Chris Loftlin on bass, Jeff Howard on guitar and Jack Deboe on drums. Love those guys and I learn from them every time I play with them. For some guys I’d LOVE to play with, Pino on bass, maybe Steve Gadd or Steve Jordan on drums, get John Mayer to play guitar. That would be fun! One guy I’ve always wanted to sit and write a song with is John Mayer, seems almost everything he writes says something unique and intriguing. He has a phenomenal way with words and forms these amazing songs around them. Would love to be a fly on the wall, then fly up his nose into his brain and figure out some kind of process, haha.

Road story: Your best or worst experience?

I have a million road stories, there’s always the partied too hard, or haven’t slept in a week story. I remember being in Asia and me and a few others were in the airport going through security. Practical jokes seemed to be the theme of this trip. Well the drummer and tour manager were going at it. Well the final straw was when the guy at security asked the tour manager for his passport, and patting his coat down to find it, clouds of white had started clouding out of his pockets and hazing the air, looked like cocaine, haha, or anthrax, who knew!? Seems the drummer had put foot powder in all of his pockets, haha. So the tour manager was quickly brought to the back room and was searched inside and out and almost missed his flight.

You have any favorite venues?

My favorite venue, is most definitely whatever venue I’m in at the moment.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

I don’t think there’s any one thing about me that I could pick. I just think each artist whether we love them or prefer not to listen to them is so different from the next. From their comfort zone to where they might go next. No one can do one the next artist can do the way they do it. I just hope to write songs and perform them the way I do and reach as many people as I can to help them get through the day or make them smile and touch them in some way. Songwriting is most important to me so I guess that would be what I hope to get through to people, that they’ll hear something i experienced and relate and enjoy the music they hear.

“Matt Cusson is honestly one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever met. When I heard him live for the first time, I was blown away not only by how well he sang and played, but how easy he makes it seem. I became an instant fan. There are a lot of artists out there, but few even come close to the amount of talent he has. He combines Jazz, R&B, Pop like nobody I know. He’s so good he makes you want to go home and practice your scales.” – Javier Colon, Universal Records and winner of NBC’s “The Voice”

Did you know…

I’m completely obsessed with cheese! Any kind, any time.

The first Jazz, Pop, R&B or Soul CD I bought was?

The first jazz album I bought was an old Miles Davis greatest hits CD. I don’t even remember but I was so intrigued that I began to buy the actual albums. He opened me up musically in a major way. And from there I went on to Coltrane, Herbie and down the line.

What music you are listening to right now?

Man this is a tough one, you can ask me again tomorrow and it would all be completely different. To list 5 right now, right at this moment, today on a car ride I listened to
1. Paper Doll – John Mayer, brand new but brilliant writing and sonically impeccable.
2. Love’s Patience – Tommy Sims, talk about a monster of a song, arrangement, sounds, from beginning to end it’s brilliant.
3. Staring At The Sun – Alan Hampton, probably one of my favorite songs that I discovered this year. Love his voice and his writing is fantastic, love the changes in this song, but chords and different sections and where it starts and where it goes to.
4. Rewrite – Paul Simon, Paul has always been one of my favorite songwriters, he’s one of the few that still keep in interesting 40 or however many years later. He’s a master!
5. The Root – D’Angelo, just love this entire album, this album made a lot of us want to step our game up!

What are your 5 special song picks? Those music treats that you just love.

Another tough one that would change by tomorrow, in no particular order
1. James Taylor – Hourglass
2. Stevie Wonder – Songs in The Key of Life
3. D’Angelo – Voodoo
4. John Mayer – Continuum
5. Joni Mitchell – Court and Spark

How would you describe the state of Jazz, Soul, Classic or music today?

I think jazz has hit a bit of an obstacle with so many radio stations closing and what not, but the great thing bout jazz is the people that play it. It’s one of those art forms that will never die. It’s such an emotional music and free style that it will always exist. I can always go to a jazz club here in New York City and it will be packed with people who love it, and players who love playing it and play it different every time. It would be nice if it was recognized a bit more especially by the younger audience, but it’s all good because those of us who love it will always listen to it.

What is your greatest fear when you perform or record?

I guess just my music not translating to the audience the way I hope for. I’ve gotten over a lot of fears over the years and I’ve learned to just have fun and enjoy it. I would only hope that people listening will too have a fantastic time!

What song would you like to be remembered for?

As Duke Ellington would have said, I haven’t written it yet. I think I’ll just create and let the listeners decide what they’d like to remember me by. 🙂

What is your favorite song to whistle or sing in the shower?

Whatever song is in my head that day, haha. I don’t think I’ve ever sung the same song twice in the shower. I’m usually warming up.

How do you spend your days?

I spend my days either traveling to a show, or writing and putting together another album. That pretty much takes up all of my waking moments. That and of course making sure my wife is happy 🙂

What would you be if not a musician?

If I weren’t a musician-vocalist-songwriter, I would be screwed! haha.