Born and raised in Denver, CO., Matt Skellenger has been composing, performing, recording, and teaching in Colorado for 30 years. Matt earned a B.A. in Music from Metro State University in 2002 where he studied with the great Ron Miles. Matt has also studied with world renowned bassist and educator Victor Wooten. In addition to leading his own group, Skellenger performs solo, duo, and in the Grown Ass Man Band. He has been a music teacher at Swallow Hill since 2008. Matt Skellenger Group has released 7 albums of original music. The most recent release, Subspace Transmission, was released on 3/8/23 and is dedicated to Ron Miles.
Ron was an original member of the Skellenger group from 2006-2014, and he is featured on the group’s first 3 albums. During that time, Matt and Ron performed a handful of duo concerts together.
Matt Reid and Matt Skellenger have been performing as a duo since 2016.
Matt Reid is a trumpet player from Washington State, re-located to Colorado in 2014 and joined the Matt Skellenger Group in 2016. Matt earned his B.A. in Music from Washington State University in 2006 with special studies at William Paterson in New Jersey where he had the chance to study with Mulgrew Miller, Bill Mobley, Greg Yasinitsky, and Horace Alexander-Young. Matt has been fortunate to share the performance stage with Russell Malone, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, and more. Matt brings an energetic and dynamic approach to trumpet performance, and leverages effects pedals and loops to create a truly unique voice that has added another sound dimension to traditional jazz trumpet playing. Matt can be heard on the last three Matt Skellenger recordings: Subspace Transmission, South Ivy 3, and Vitality.
Spend some time with Josie Quick and Tom Carleno, and you’ll notice their easy-going nature, a shared sense of humor, and strong connection. This connection shines through when they perform live as Perpetual Motion. Josie’s violin and Tom’s guitar weave together in perfect harmony. Their talent is clear and impressive, whether on stage or on their albums.
Perpetual Motion has earned several awards, including the 2020 Peace Song Award for “Best Jazz.” They’ve also been nominated for other prestigious awards, including the Zone Music Award for “Best Acoustic Instrumental Album” and the One World Music Award for “Best Contemporary Instrumental,” both in 2020. As they work on their eighth album, Josie and Tom continue to explore new musical ideas. leaving a lasting impact on the world of instrumental music. Working on their eighth album, Josie and Tom continue to push the boundaries of instrumental music.