Matt Murphy
has spent the past twenty years of his life perfecting his craft as a drummer and percussionist. After graduating college from Western Illinois University, Matt was afforded the opportunity to travel the country with Caribbean/Pop sensations, The Steel Bandits. During his tenure with this outstanding group, Matt was seen playing to sold out arenas and auditoriums from the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, to Las Vegas & the Sunset Strip and practically everywhere in between.
After spending two years with the ‘Bandits, he moved on to working several festivals, clinics and concerts throughout North America and Europe, playing with such groups as the Stephen Kummer Trio, Mangu, and Stan Sykes and Company. This gave Matt the unique opportunity to master many styles ranging from Jazz to Latin to the soulful sounds of R ‘n B, Motown and beyond. His uncanny knack “to know exactly what to play, and when to play it” has helped Matt successfully take the drum seat in every musical setting.
Beginning in 1998, Matt was hired as one of Norwegian Cruise Line's Musical Directors, performing as an artist as well as departmental manager on several of Norwegian’s vessels within the fleet of nine ships. It was during that time that Mangu completed a nine-month tour of Miami, Mexico and the Caribbean Islands. They had played for thousands of satisfied audience members at the Latin Music Festival in St. Thomas in 2001. Immediately following that successful tour, Matt was asked to back up the soulful singing sensation Stan Sykes, as part of Stan Sykes and Company. It was during 2001 and 2002 that Stan and the gang spent time touring Europe, North America and the Hawaiian Islands.
After all these years, Matt still maintains a very successful relationship with Stan and the gang, as well as Mangu. As a leader, and accompanied on the stage with World-Class Musicians, Matt also leads his own latin/jazz project, Caribé. Getting the call to kick the band for the Las Vegas "Entertainer of the Year" Clint Holmes was an honor for Matt, showcasing his ability to traverse several musical styles effortlessly throughout Clint's dynamic show. Proudly, Matt also works as a sideman with former Motown and current CBS recording artist, Rick Whitfield.
In 2003, Hollywood called for Matt’s knowledge of music in television. Working both in front and behind the camera’s lens, Matt can be seen on several television programs in the greater Los Angeles area, as a sideline musician. Matt was kept very busy, working as Music Consultant for the new Partridge Family series for MTV Networks, as well as the internationally famous prime time hit from Warner Brothers, the Gilmore Girls.
Moving to Las Vegas in the fall of 2005 proved to be one of Matt's smartest moves. Within weeks of coming to town, Matt was asked to take the drum seat for "The Rat Pack Tribute". 'This show brings back the good ol days when Vegas was Vegas. Musically, it's one of my favorite shows and pays homage to some of the finest entertainers the world has ever seen- Frank, Sammy and Dean,' Murphy was quoted saying in an interview after a show.
Matt has also been seen around Las Vegas working for various national touring artists including: Ronnie Foster, The Brothers Ali, Mark Verabian, & Bruce Christian among others. Beginning in the fall of 2006, Matt was afforded the opportunity to teach drum set lessons to students within the percussion department at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As one could imagine this is quite an honor and Matt takes this opportunity very seriously.
In the summer months of 2008, Matt completed his newest "labor of love". The Definitive Guide to Afro-Caribbean Grooves: Contemporary Drum Set Rhythms from the Caribbean, is a new method book, containing 20 different musical styles from the Caribbean and beyond.
Matt Murphy is indeed an All-American percussionist with a global perspective that permeates his grooves, style, and musicianship. He is a proud endorser and clinician for; Drum Workshop Drums and Hardware, SABIAN Cymbals, Regal Tip sticks and Brushes, Aquarian Drumheads, Audix Microphones, HQ Percussion Products, and Humes and Berg bags and cases.