'Carter's own piano is as Tasteful and neatly phrased as you could wish.. ultra-hip, finger clicking arrangments'
★★★★ Jazzwise
'An auspicious debut'
★★★★ - The Guardian
★★★★ UK Vibe
The Matt Carter Octet is one of the most exciting young bands on today’s UK jazz scene. They released their debut album 'Read Between the Lines'' in 2023 to critical acclaim, after a successful UK tour in the summer. They've sold out venues across the country, and are looking forward to bringing their music to the Isle of Wight.
Matt himself is no stranger to The Isle of Wight, having played twice before at the Apollo Theatre with Louise Parker.
He cut his teeth as a player in and around his home in Devon before leaving for the Royal Academy of Music in London. There, he met many of his current band members.
He’s spent his time working as a pianist, but also as a composer and writer, with many arrangements and compositions to his credit.
His writing has been compared to Marty Paich, and he is heavily influenced by US west coast jazz from the 50’s and 60’s. So, his compositions are peppered with swinging dynamic solo sections.
He studied jazz piano at The Royal Academy of Music with Nikki Iles. He also was fortunate to perform with Hamish Stuart (Average White Band) and Mike Lovett. He also played alongside Dave Holland and Chris Potter.
But many know Matt for some of his performances with artists such as Wet Wet Wet, Go West, Joss Stone, Ashton Jones, Leigh Coleman, and Myles Sanko.