Matt Pierson

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Matt Pierson is an American music producer, executive, and artist manager known for producing many noted jazz artists beginning in the late 1980s.^[1]

His producer discography^[2] includes recordings by Brad Mehldau,^[3] Joshua Redman,^[4] Pat Metheny,^[5] k.d. lang,^[6]Bob James]], Kirk Whalum, Jane Monheit,^[7] Wallace Roney, Milt Jackson, Milton Nascimento,^[8] Robert Randolph,^[9] Samara Joy]],^[10] and Laura Benanti.^[5] His recordings have received numerous Grammy nominations and include Billboard #1 albums and singles.^[11]

Education and Career as Musician: 1970s–1980s[edit]

Matt Pierson's father, Jack Pierson, a noted Michigan bandleader and educator, was one of his music teachers.^[12] After earning a bachelor's degree in Studio Music and Jazz at the University of Miami, Matt played trumpet professionally with Miami Sound Machine, Bob James, Julio Iglesias,^[13] salsa bands, and other acts, and on commercial recording sessions.

Blue Note Records: 1988–1992[edit]

In 1988 he moved to New York City and was hired as Promotion Assistant at Blue Note Records. Mentored by Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cuscuna, he began doing A&R work and producing recordings, beginning with Bobby Watson & Horizon, Benny Green, Rick Margitza, Bob Belden^[14] and others. He was involved in signing John Scofield,^[15] Joe Lovano, and Rachelle Ferrell to the label, and handled the release of Blue Note reissues. Eventually he rose to the position of Director of Marketing and A&R.

Warner Bros. Records: 1992–2004[edit]

In 1992 Warner Bros. Records hired him as Director of A&R, Jazz & Progressive Music. In 1995 he was promoted to Senior Vice President for Jazz.^[13] At the label he signed and produced Kenny Garrett, Joshua Redman,^[13] Brad Mehldau,^[16] Kevin Mahogany, Larry Goldings, Mark Turner, and others, and oversaw a roster that included Bob James, Joe Sample, Fourplay, Michael Franks, Earl Klugh, George Benson, Al Jarreau, George Duke, and others.

Warner Jazz saw dramatic growth under Pierson's leadership in the early 1990s, especially in mainstream jazz, with the signing of many prominent artists.^[16] Pierson signed Rick Braun, Larry Carlton, Jonathan Butler, Gabriela Anders,^[17] John Stoddart, Pat Metheny, and Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown.^[18]

At Warner he also produced a series of compilations and reissues, including packages featuring artists such as Duke Ellington, George Benson, Bill Evans, David Sanborn, and Jaco Pastorius. In January 1999, he was promoted to Executive Vice President/General Manager–Jazz. ^{[19] [20]}

Movie Soundtracks and Cast Albums[edit]

In the late 1990s Pierson worked with Clint Eastwood on Eastwood's Maspaso Records imprint, serving as Music Supervisor and producing the soundtracks to Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil^[21] and Space Cowboys.^[22] He also produced the soundtrack to the Louis Malle film Vanya on 42nd Street and the original cast album of 50 SHADES! THE MUSICAL.^[23]

Independent Producer and Manager: 2004–Present[edit]

After leaving Warner in 2004, he became an independent producer and consultant, consulting for clients including Rhino, Apple, and PledgeMusic.

In 2006 he launched the Mosaic Contemporary imprint for Mosaic Records, producing a series of compilations and reissues.

In 2012, Pierson produced the 2-CD Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Project, which featured Audra McDonald, Donna Murphy, Kelli O'Hara, Vanessa Williams, Anika Noni Rose, Brian D’Arcy James, Sutton Foster and others, with music by Stephen Sondheim, Sammy Cahn, Stephen Schwartz, Tony Kushner, and others.^[24][25]

From 2015–2020 he served as A&R Consultant for Sony Masterworks,^[26] where he signed and produced Robert Randolph's Grammy-nominated^[27] Got Soul album^[28] and recordings by Bria Skonberg, New Masters, and Laura Benanti.

His productions since 2005 include Kirk Whalum’s Babyface Songbook, Jane Monheit’s The Lovers, The Dreamers, and Me, Taylor Eigsti’s Daylight at Midnight, Becca Stevens Band’s Weightless, Sophie Milman’s In the Moonlight, James Maddock’s Another Life, Kirk Whalum's Grammy nominated Everything is Everything: The Music of Donny Hathaway,^[29][30] and Svetlana's album Night at the Movies which debuted at #1 on the US Billboard Traditional Jazz Album Chart in 2019.^[11] He produced two 2020 albums by Dayna Stephens, Right Now! Live at the Village Vanguard and Liberty.^[31]

Serving as a judge at the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2019 Pierson met the winner, Samara Joy. After producing her debut recording, he took on management responsibilities.^[32] In 2022, he produced her Verve debut recording Linger Awhile, which netted the Best Jazz Vocal Album award at the 2023 Grammy Awards, and earned Joy the Best New Artist award,^[33] only the second jazz artist to win the award.^[34] His other management clients include trumpeter/vocalist Bria Skonberg and vocalist Stella Cole.

Selected Producer Discography[edit]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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