Matt Jennings

Matt Jennings grew up in Pittsburgh mimicking hard rock guitarists and honing his songwriting skills from an early age. After moving to Minneapolis for college, he studied abroad in Mexico and later taught English in China. In Mexico, he was entranced by the sound of mariachi trumpeters and violinists practicing on the streets. And he learned the basic techniques of mariachi guitar firsthand from a man named Nacho. In China, he played in a live karaoke band and a Chinese hard rock band, while spending countless hours watching the South China Sea out his apartment window with a $20 Kapok acoustic guitar in his hands. After soaking in how these different cultures use rhythm and melody, he transformed his hard rock and folk roots into an international style of music that incorporates elements of flamenco, reggae, surf, mariachi, samba, bachata, tango, jazz, and metal, among many other influences.
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Since returning from abroad Jennings has self-released three albums and one EP. He has toured the continent extensively, sharing the stage with acts such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, Jarabe de Palo, Bombino, Dengue Fever, Nano Stern, Anuhea, J Boog, Nick Hexum, and Donavon Frankenreiter. He is releasing a new EP of instrumentals in 2018.

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