MIKE MATTISON
Mike Mattison is an American musician and vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning blues rock/soul group, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, as well as lead vocalist and co-founder of the blues rock trio Scrapomatic. Mattison's vocal sound has been described as "strong," with an "expressive blues voice". As lead vocalist of Scrapomatic, he picked up a nomination for Minnesota Music Awards best male vocalist, and both he and co-founder Paul Olsen were also nominated for best R&B Group. Mattison was previously the lead vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning Derek Trucks Band and has been a main songwriter of all three bands. He is also an active essayist who publishes on music and poetry. Since 2013 Mattison and Ernest Suarez have edited “Hot Rocks: Songs and Verse,” an ongoing feature in Five Points: A Journal of Literature and Art. He serves on the Council of the Association of Literary Critics, Scholars, and Writers.
Biography:
Mattison was born and grew to adulthood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a period where he was encouraged to learn and experiment with a variety of musical instruments, which appealed to him. Before graduation from high school, he'd learned, with differing levels of accomplishment, to play the recorder, clarinet, tenor saxophone, french horn, trombone, bass, and guitar, in addition to his natural ability to sing. He was influenced by jazz, the blues, and roots music. Mattison began exploring songwriting and performing with a friend who had also been raised in Minneapolis, Paul Olsen. The pair met in 1993 at a Parliament-Funkadelic concert, and began playing R&B and blues-based music together afterward. Mattison's acceptance and subsequent college education at Harvard brought him east, and he convinced Olsen to move with him.
Mattison graduated from Harvard with a degree in English and American literature. Mattison and Olsen continued playing and performing together, forming the duo they named Scrapomatic. In 2002, Craig Street and John Snyder, the two record producers that had business ties with blues rock musician Derek Trucks independently suggested Mattison as the person to fill the newly vacated position of lead vocalist for The Derek Trucks Band. Trucks, who was in New York City on business, had begun looking at the information and photos supplied of Mattison, and having seen Mattison's photos and demos singing, was surprised to find he was in the same subway car. After Trucks recognized him and introduced himself, Mattison performed in several concerts following the unusual meeting with The Derek Trucks Band, and shortly afterward, landed the position, where he has remained since his entry into the band. He continues to maintain his position in Scrapomatic, with the duo frequently opening for The Derek Trucks Band.
Mike Mattison's voice has been considered a "perfect fit" for The Derek Trucks Band. After listening to the band play the arrangement of "I Wish I Knew" in the style of Nina Simone, an NPR host mentioned a "growly" quality to Mattison's voice, which Trucks was able to closely duplicate on the slide guitar. The next song had a completely different sound altogether, a rendition of a song by Skip James, where Mattison sang in a falsetto. His wide range appealed to Trucks, who was looking for a lead vocalist that was not the usual fare. Within The Derek Trucks Band, Mattison's voice has been described as an instrument, rather than that of a focal point as frontman.
In 2010, The Derek Trucks Band announced a hiatus, and Mike Mattison joined the new group, Tedeschi Trucks Band, as a backing vocalist and songwriter. One of his compositions, "Midnight in Harlem," appears on the DVD release of Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2010.
On July 17, 2013, Mike Mattison launched a Kickstarter Project,called "untitled-not-so-secret-mike-Mattison-solo-album" which successfully raised its funding goal on August 17, 2013. The project will be used to finish recording, mixing and mastering of his new album, which was expected to arrive around October 2013.
Mike Mattison released his solo CD "You Can't Fight Love" on Landslide Records (LDCD-1042) with a street date of June 3, 2014. In addition to recording and touring with the Tedeschi Trucks Band and Scrapomatic, Mattison and Ernest Suarez have held seminars on a literary genre they call Poetic Song Verse at various universities since 2016.
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By Mike O’Cull in
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Mike Mattison steps out on his own with his second solo album Afterglow, which dropped March 20th, 2020 on Landslide Records. It’s a solid set of Americana informed by blues and rock influences that will keep you listening through every second of its ten-song length. Mattison takes an eclectic approach to his material and his overlapping inspirations make Afterglow one of the most quietly commanding releases of the year. His style is inviting and individual and grabs your attention from the record’s first moments.
Mattison co-produced Afterglow with fellow TTB member Tyler “Falcon” Greenwell, who is also the drummer on the album. Other players on these tracks include Dave Yoke (guitars), Franher Joseph (bass), the late Kofi Burbridge (keyboards), Paul Olsen (guitars), and Rachel Eckworth (keyboards). Prior to being a member of TTB, Mattison was the singer with the Derek Trucks Band. He’s also 50% of the Atlanta-based blues duo Scrapomatic, who will be on the road this Spring as “Scrapomatic featuring Mike Mattison.” Mattison is in possession of a strong, expressive voice well-suited to blues and roots music and his lyrics are wise and literate. He’s a multidimensional talent who increases the potency of any situation in which he’s involved.
Afterglow opens with the moody “Charlie Idaho,” a tremolo-enhanced mid-tempo song with a simmering intensity that sets a contemplative tone for the rest of these sessions to follow. Mattison practically whispers the words into your headphones and lets the strength of the song carry itself. The title track, “Afterglow,” is up next and lifts the energy level with an old-school country feel, a memorable chorus, and some sweet, understated guitar work. This is alternative country the way it’s meant to be and vibes like a smoother version of 80s underground roots warriors The Gear Daddies, who, like Mattison, are Minnesota natives.
“Deadbeat” is another alt-country gemstone that tells a hard times story about someone “taking all the drugs I can.” It makes a perfect soundtrack to Winter in the upper Midwest and Mattison wrings every last bit of angst out of his lyrics. He has the rare ability to make anything he sings come across as genuine and true and overflows here with the kind of emotion that keeps people paying attention.
“All You Can Do Is Mean It” is a Beatle-esque heartbreaker about someone who doesn’t regret giving his honest best to another who knocked him down. It features a lovely guitar hook in the intro and accentuates the softer side of Mattison’s vocal talents. A few songs into the record, you begin to realize just how good of a songwriter Mattison is. He exhibits a high level of craft and keeps reshuffling the limited deck of cards Americana is built on into remarkably fresh, meaningful tunes.
“On Pontchartrain” is a country/rocker with a strong bass line and a tale of homesickness to tell. It skews to the mellow side a bit but is still gritty and effective. Mattison never boils over into cow punk and this small bit of restraint allows the full force of his lyrics and vocal tone to carry the day. He doesn’t seem capable of writing a bad song and delivers the natural brilliance all songwriters pursue in a way that seems effortless. Make certain you listen all the way to the end of the record so you don’t miss deep cuts like “I Was Wrong” and “I’ve Got Something For You.” Mike Mattison is one of the most subtle and amazing songwriters currently working and his solo music is as good as it gets. Those who dig into Afterglow and listen closely will be amply rewarded. Be one of them.
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