Photo: John F. Kramer |
"...an artist to be reckoned with."
All Music Guide
Seasoned recording artist.
Multi-instrumentalist.
Eternal idealist.
Peace loving realist.
Musical Renaissance man Matt Turk is a veteran performer who has engaged audiences around the world, both as a hard-rocking bandleader and an acoustic folk troubadour. He has shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Norah Jones, the Dave Matthews Band, the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh, Hot Tuna, Richie Havens, Fiona Apple, The Doobie Brothers, Ellis Marsalis, NRBQ, and many more. He has performed and toured throughout the U.S, Israel, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, and appeared at scores of prestigious festivals and venues, including Clearwater's Hudson River Revival, the Gathering of the Vibes, the Berkshire Mountain Music Festival, Atlanta's Music Midtown, The Beacon Theater, Tarrytown Music Hall, and --at the invitation of Michael Bloomberg, mayor of New York City-- at Gracie Mansion, the mayor's official residence. In 2011, he showcased at the Folk Alliance International conference in Memphis, TN.
Matt's latest record, American Preservation, which hit Number #20 on the folk/dj charts, is a collection of traditional standards and well-loved classics, ranging from Roy Acuff to Pink Floyd, and from Taj Mahal to T. Rex. Matt's version of "America the Beautiful" has been called "arguably the definitive acoustic version" by Music News Nashville.
Comfortable as a charismatic collaborator, Matt has showcased his creativity with fellow Hudson Valley singer-songwriter Fred Gillen, Jr. Performing as Gillen & Turk, the duo gained national recognition when they were featured in an AP article on the New York Metropolitan Transit Authority's Music Under New York series. In May 2008 Gillen & Turk released the well-received CD Backs to the Wall and spent the year touring nationally. In the summer of 2008, Gillen & Turk were featured on the television show NYC Soundtracks, on the MSG network, and their track "Fall Down" was featured on a CMJ Sampler.
In February of 2008, Turk released the music video "The Fog of War," directed by W.L. Jackson. Filmed in various locations around the Hudson Valley and New York City, the video features Turk with his special guest, the legendary Pete Seeger. Acoustic Live's Richard Cuccaro calls "The Fog of War" "a remarkable video."
Turk has also lent his considerable musical chops to movie soundtracks. His cover of the seasonal classic "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" appeared on the soundtrack to the 2007 Warner Bros. film "Fred Claus." Turk provided lead vocals, mandolin, lap steel and acoustic guitar on the track. In 2006, his original song "Bette Says" appeared on the CBS television show "Love Monkey". He has also recorded music for the History Channel and other television, cable and internet stations.
As a solo artist Matt has now released four albums. In addition to American Preservation, these include Turktunes (2000), 2002's highly-acclaimed What Gives, and 2006's, Washington Arms. On Washington Arms, Turk again highlights his strength as an interpreter by updating the anthemic Ten Years After hit "I'd Love to Change the World," a track that also appeared on the Sony Music compilation "Play Back 111," released in 2009.
Matt was a founding member of The Hour in the fertile NYC jam-rock scene of the early nineties. Formed in 1987 while some of the band members were students (such as Turk, a history major) at New York University, The Hour peaked as an eclectic acoustic trio before disbanding in 1993 with Matt, Marshall Madow on guitar and vocals, and drummer, Carey Harmon, now of Railroad Earth. The Hour released three albums --Fricker-Nicker Sessions (1991) and Songs of Sweden (1992) and Hold Back the Reins (1993). They were house band for three summers at Arrowhead Ranch, Ken and Michele Hoff's "Fillmore of the Catskills", backed by legendary rock impresario Bill Graham, that regularly attracted the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Phish, Blues Traveler, Spin Doctors, Levon Helm, Little Feat, Hot Tuna, Max Creek and the Dave Matthews Band.
Around this time Turk became acquainted with producer Phil Ramone, during studio work as a sideman, initially singing on Russ Irwin's debut with Phoebe Snow. "Thanks to Russ' introduction, Phil took an interest in my music and gave me a great tutoring on the craft of songwriting," remembers Turk, "I still reflect on Phil's lessons."
In June 1992 Turk first teamed up with Pete Seeger as part of The Street Singers, a group that taught folk songs to schoolchildren and adults in and around New York City. Turk was greatly inspired by Seeger to write songs of social justice and by his year and a half stint working for God's Love-We Deliver, delivering food to folks homebound with AIDS.
In 1996, Turk formed The Dolphin & Shark Ensemble, a sprawling group of pickers and players dedicated to mixing Americana and world beat musical styles. He'd also branched off into researching Jewish folk music. In partnership with Kevin Hupp, he formed Mandolin Caravan, and their first album, Desert Soul, was released in 2003.
For several years, Turk has coordinated and hosted the Circle of Song tent at Clearwater's Great Hudson River Revival, an event inaugurated by Pete Seeger in the 1960s that's held each June on the banks of the Hudson River where he now coordinates the Jam tent. Matt Turk serves as resident musician at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City, and runs the music program of Story Arts at Coachmen Family Center, an arts project for Westchester County homeless children through a grant from Arts Westchester. A concert on December 10, 2009 brought Matt together once more with Seeger, as well as with the kids of the Coachmen Family Center, and others. This was an especially sweet experience for Matt.
Always supportive of his fellow regional and local artists, Matt is currently serving in his second term as president of the board of Tribes Hill, the Hudson Valley kindred folk music organization.
Matt recently scored a full-length documentary entitled "The Lion of Judah" and is in pre-production for a new solo record.