Chicago bassist Matt Ulery has embraced many styles over his 25-year career and incorporated them into his sound. Jazz is the canvas, and his palette contains the colors of rock, pop, classical, and regional folk music from different countries. To achieve his, he plays not only electric and double bass, but tuba as well. He performs with a variety of configurations as well -- from small chamber ensembles to orchestras. Ulery is also a highly sought-after collaborator, and he's worked with artists like Zach Brock,Jeff Swanson,Black Diamond,Jarod Bufe, and others.

After earning degrees from both Depaul and Roosevelt universities, he began performing and releasing his own albums, 16 in total. Active in the Chicago music scene, Ulery has also performed a number of jazz festivals and venues in and around his home city, Vancouver, Guimaraes, Portugal, and Carnegie Hall. Besides keeping busy as a composer and performer, he's also a faculty member at  Loyola, Northeastern Illinois, and Roosevelt universities in Chicago.

His latest recording is Mother Harp, features a quintet this time around He's joined by Russ Johnson (trumpet), Artie Black (tenor saxophone, clarinet), Dustin Laurenzi (tenor saxophone, electric guitar), and Quin Kirchner (drums). Hailed as "aucously-inflamed and infectious" by All About Jazz, the record is a departure from the chamber work he's best known for.  The Chicago Tribune notes his "dramatic pivot…the album’s searing, adrenaline-laced sound is new to his recorded output so far."

An ever-evolving artist, Matt Ulery is one we'll continue to keep an eye on. Those in the Chicago area can see him at the Ear Taxi Festival Chicago in October.