Episode 27: The Matt Pierson Conversation

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So you wanna go into the record business eh kid? Meet Matt Pierson. Matt has a long creative history in the record business. He got his start as the buyer for Peaches Records and Tapes in Miami in the early 80’s while attending the University of Miami on a full scholarship as a trumpet player. Born and raised in the Detroit area and the son of a professional musician it took until one night on a gig as the second chair trumpet player to realize that it might be another 10-15 years before he moved over to the first chair and that maybe, just maybe he had some more to offer in the way of skills. Matt moved to NYC in 1988 and after a little bit of luck and a lot of effort landed a gig at the Blue Note Record label where he learned from Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cuscuna ( a protege of Mowo!’s dad Joel Dorn ). Matt climbed the ladder quickly ultimately being plucked up by Warner Brothers to head their soon to be booming Jazz Department. Matt has produced and signed an incredible amount of artists over the years. While at Warners alone the roster he built included Joshua Redman , Kenny Garrett , Brad Mehldau , Larry Goldings , Joe Sample, George Duke and Kirk Whalum. A stunning roster in what were otherwise in some people’s minds very lean times for jazz. A musician, a producer, a businessman and a creative soul Matt sits down with Charlie and the two touch on so many topics that we don’t even really know where to begin to explain all of them. It’s a long episode. We didn’t want to split it in two. Ladies and Gents get your private Jets fueled and ready for takeoff. Matt Pierson will be your inflight entertainment. Don’t drift off.