IM @ playMYMusic.FM / JAZZ CAFE PROFILES
Kristine England
October 1, 2023
It’s been a while since we checked in on Matthew Halsall. An artist we were drawn to in the early days of playMYmusic.FM, Manchester, UK-native Halsall continues to make enthralling music. His ninth album, An Ever Changing View, was released in September on his Gondwana label (also home to Mammal Hands and Portico Quartet). First drawn to jazz when he heard Pharaoh Sanders sampled by a DJ, he ultimately chose the trumpet as his instrument after developing a particular affinity for Alice Coltrane.
On An Ever Changing View, Halsall creates an ambient soundscape rich with musical elements from around the globe. A kalimba is prominent in the featured track (an instrument that mimics the traditional Zimbabwean mbira), and loops from percussion instruments such as the marimba (South American), glockenspiel, and others are used to great effect on the record.
"Water Street"