Matt Panayides: Tapestries of Song Review

By: Vince Lewis

Tapestries Of Song is the debut recording as a leader for New York based guitarist Matt Panayides, who was born in Cincinnati and raised in Indianapolis. Matt’s formal musical education includes a B.A. from Manhattan School of Music and an M.A. in Jazz Performance from William Patterson University. Panayides also studied privately with jazz-guitar gurus Gene Bertoncini and Rodney Jones. Over the years he has performed with such legendary performers as Clark Terry, Mulgrew Miller, Kevin Mahogany and Jane Monheit.

This album is a collection of all original material. The opening track is “Seoul Soul,” an up tempo excursion moving through interesting harmonies. The solos give the impression of free jazz because of the unusual chord progression.

“Why Bail Them Out” is a Latin / Funk groove with a nice punchy melody line. Other titles included are “Different Place,” “Amalgamation,” “Sketch” and “Walking Across a Bridge (With No Money).”

Panayides is joined by Rich Perry (Tenor Sax), Steve La Spina (Bass) and Dan Weiss (Drums). This is a very cohesive unit that makes its way together through some unusual time signatures and different musical grooves. Panayides is a solid technical player with a unique voice.

The guitarist’s music is influenced by time spent overseas and is very modern in its structure. It’s described in the press release as “exploratory,” which may make it a challenge for the listener who is used to more traditional mainstream jazz. Tapestries of Song an interesting project that is well thought out and presented.

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