“The sky’s the limit when it’s in your imagination… and then it’s a matter of bringing it to life.”

For Matt Von Roderick, that sentiment isn’t just an artist’s philosophy – it’s a lived practice. The award-winning trumpeter, vocalist, and composer has spent his career expanding the language of jazz, merging classic lyricism with daring sonic innovation. His latest record, The Perfect Storm, stands as a culmination of that journey: a sweeping statement that bridges the spiritual and the experimental, the timeless and the new.

The Perfect Storm - Matt Von Roderick — The Perfect Storm – Matt Von Roderick

Hailed by The New York Times as “a post-millennial Chet Baker” and praised by JazzTimes as “a top-drawer trumpeter who also sings like an angel obscured by a storm cloud,” Von Roderick inhabits what he describes as “the rarified air of innovative jazz trumpeter and heart-centered crooner.” His performances – equal parts meditation and exploration – have graced Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, each one offering a window into his deeply intentional world of sound.

Over the years, Von Roderick has collaborated with a remarkable roster of artists including Brad Mehldau, Kenny Werner, Neil Diamond, Dionne Warwick, and The Saturday Night Live Band, and his trumpet has appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Ellen Show, and events with Marianne Williamson. He’s been recognized as the first-place winner of the Independent Music Awards Jazz Category (as judged by Lou Reed), a finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, and a Vilar Global Fellow – an honor dubbed “the Rhodes Scholarship of the performing arts” by The New York Times. What sets Von Roderick apart is not only his virtuosity but his devotion to purpose. His music integrates trumpet and vocal multiphonics – techniques that allow him to play and sing simultaneously – alongside lush harmonies, ambient textures, and spoken word. The result is a sound both ethereal and immediate, inviting listeners into a world that is as emotive as it is expansive.

“It’s one of the best feelings when you’re on an adventure in a new place, and the music and the connection with audiences through music becomes your new home in a way… I live for that.”

As he takes The Perfect Storm across North America, Europe, and Australia for his Celestial Heart World Tour, Von Roderick continues to blur boundaries between performer and healer, virtuoso and visionary – each note a reminder that art’s greatest power lies in its ability to awaken something luminous within us all.

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:: stream/purchase The Perfect Storm here ::

:: connect with Matt Von Roderick here ::

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A CONVERSATION WITH MATT VON RODERICK

Atwood Magazine: Your blend of trumpet, vocals, and tech has created such an interesting, unique sound. Was there a song on the record that served as the catalyst for this sonic world to be created?

Matt Von Roderick: Ultimately, the sonic world I’ve created is the result of thinking big, an “anything goes” attitude, and dreaming up a world of possibilities that really excites me. The sky’s the limit when it’s in your imagination…and then it’s a matter of bringing it to life. It’s something that’s developed over time, but if there’s one song on THE PERFECT STORM album that has served as a catalyst, I would say it’s ‘Coexistence’. That song has such an exploratory spirit to it, and it incorporates a lot of my influences at once.

As a composer, it sounds like you have many influences. Could you talk a bit about who are some of your greatest influences and who you were listening to whilst making this record?

Matt Von Roderick: My father is a classical violinist and my mother was a classical pianist – I grew up hearing and playing their instruments first, so classical music is a big influence. Bach in particular – the satisfying architecture of his music, combined with a deep sense of searching/longing and catharsis. Then, I got into Jazz…I think most creative music artists who value real freedom of expression will eventually be drawn to Jazz. There, I found Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Chet Baker, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Keith Jarrett… and finally I started to incorporate it all with inspiration from some of the bands and artists I resonate with, that more people in this century have woven into the fabric of their lives – the likes of Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Lou Reed, Bob Dylan, Bjork, Keane, Coldplay, Elliot Smith, Nick Drake…

Although it may sound lofty to some, I make music to remind people of the truth of their nature as spiritual beings. I seek to inspire, to heal, to activate.

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You frequently speak about the spiritual side of music. How does that element shape your approach to performance and creating?

Matt Von Roderick: It’s important to me, because I feel that it gives my music a larger purpose. Although it may sound lofty to some, I make music to remind people of the truth of their nature as spiritual beings. I seek to inspire, to heal, to activate. I feel I have a job to do – that’s what I’m here for. That’s what my albums are meant to do, and that’s certainly what my live performances are about. Historically, the trumpet has been an instrument of choice for this kind of message.

What are you most excited about for this upcoming tour?

Matt Von Roderick: It’s one of the best feelings when you’re on an adventure in a new place, and the music and the connection with audiences through music becomes your new home in a way… I live for that. It’s like: “Hey, I have something really cool to share with you…life can be beautiful! Do you feel it? Do You Realize??” I’m really excited to be taking THE PERFECT STORM around the world in 2026 – we have shows planned all over Europe, North America, and Asia.

Your collaborations span jazz and beyond, from Brad Mehldau to Neil Diamond. How do you adapt to such varied musical environments while staying true to your voice?

Matt Von Roderick: One of my mentors, Herbie Hancock, likes to say: “It’s one big music.” Maestro Herbie really operates from the viewpoint of openness – he’s free from the restrictions of genre… I like that. The first time I met Brad Mehldau he said to me: “There’s room for everything.” That also made an impact. And when we played together, the world felt vast. When I played with Neil Diamond, I really got that it’s about connecting with and being generous with your audience. I think if you operate from these philosophies, you can stay true to your voice in any environment.

I like exploring new possibilities, and at a certain point I felt drawn to go beyond the single note melody line of the traditional trumpet sound, and to approach playing more like a guitarist or pianist.

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The Perfect Storm blends tradition with innovation. What was your vision for the album, and how did you bring it to life with your collaborators?

Matt Von Roderick: It has always made sense to me that part of the tradition of jazz is to innovate, so in that way I think the music just feels natural to me. My vision for THE PERFECT STORM was to incorporate and integrate my life experiences into a cohesive statement in a way that inspires others…and bringing it to life with the musicians and producers I work with flowed easily. I tend to be drawn to open-minded people who enjoy seeing life from the viewpoint of the bigger picture.

Your use of trumpet and vocal multiphonics is groundbreaking. What drew you to explore these techniques, and how do they enhance your storytelling?

Matt Von Roderick: I like exploring new possibilities, and at a certain point I felt drawn to go beyond the single note melody line of the traditional trumpet sound, and to approach playing more like a guitarist or pianist. When I play multiphonics, I sing and play simultaneously, producing two and sometimes three notes at once, which enables me to delineate harmony and chords…in many ways this frees me up and helps bring me into a new world. It’s also a striking sound that has an emotional immediacy to it that can really grab an audience’s attention, so that has it’s own power as well. I have a relationship to the sound, and it often indicates a heightened moment in my storytelling, certainly something more layered…

You’ve mentioned music’s transformative power. How do you see your work as a tool for healing or personal growth for your audience?

Matt Von Roderick: There are different levels. There’s the purely sonic, vibrational aspect. Which, on a scientific level, in a way we are all sound…then there’s the emotional aspect that’s conveyed through the way, the nuance, in which the music is played. And, there’s the lyrical content which can have embedded into it all kinds of messages, some of them wise. When all three are lined up in a complementary way, that can produce a powerful effect. I have seen the “tone” of a person change dramatically, from the beginning versus the ending of a concert!

My vision for ‘The Perfect Storm’ was to incorporate and integrate my life experiences into a cohesive statement in a way that inspires others.

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Your recognition, like winning the Independent Music Award, speaks to your artistry. What do these achievements mean in the context of your larger career?

Matt Von Roderick: It’s certainly nice to receive acknowledgment, whether it’s from the Independent Music Awards or the GRAMMY Awards. Achievements and awards like these aren’t a requirement for a successful career, but I see them as a sign that something is going right, and a positive effect is being created in the world. And, often, it means the music is reaching more people, so that’s a good thing…

Could you share how you prepare for live performance – any rituals or practices that ground you – and what matters most to you in the moment of sharing your music with the audience?

Matt Von Roderick: Before I play a concert, I always do my warm-up. This helps prepare me and put me in an optimal state, where I can receive creative information and allow it to channel through me and translate through my voice and trumpet. With the audience connection, what matters most is the feeling.

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