Matthew Skoller

b. New York, USA. Playing blues harmonica, Skoller worked with various bands, including the Chi-Town Hustlers and Big Daddy Kinsey And The Kinsey Report. After establishing himself on the Chicago blues club scene, where he attracted a great deal of attention, he formed his own band. His rough-hewn singing voice ably interprets traditional blues themes in which he reveals his admiration for artists such as James Cotton, Walter Horton, Junior Parker, and Jimmy Reed. He and his band quickly built a faithful following. Among band members have been guitarists Lurrie Bell and Larry Skoller, shakuhachi player Brian Ritchie, pianist and organist Sidney James Wingfield, bass player Willie ‘Vamp’ Samuels and percussionists Kenny Smith and Heitor Garcia. Skoller has also recorded with Koko Taylor, appearing on her 2000 recording Royal Blue. Songs in Skoller’s repertoire, much of which he writes himself, include ‘Ghosts In Your Closet’, ‘Wired World’, ‘Let The World Come To You’, ‘Handful Of People’, ‘Down At Your Buryin’’, ‘Stolen Thunder’ and ‘Where Can You Be’. Although best known in and around Chicago, Skoller has appeared internationally, playing regularly in Greece and also visiting clubs and higher profile venues, such as festivals, in the UK, Belgium, France, Italy, Norway, Spain and Switzerland.