About Matthew Crissey

Matthew Crissey is a multi-instrumentalist, arranger, and audio engineer hailing from Kent, Washington. His main instrument is the bass. Beginning, as with many of you, in his elementary school’s music program, Matthew quickly displayed an aptitude for instrumental music. He first picked up wind instruments starting with the recorder, before transitioning to clarinet, then saxophone, then  trumpet, then tuba, then… Well, you get the idea. It wasn’t until picking up an electric guitar for the first time at age eleven, and the electric bass shortly after, that Matthew found his love for stringed instruments. A hand injury at age twelve rendered him temporarily unable to play his tuba in band class, though he was still able to pluck his bass; the rest, you could say, is history. Matthew would go on to assume the bass as his primary instrument transitioning into high school, where he would play in the top level jazz big band and jazz choir, all while maintaining his first-chair position in the wind ensemble tuba section. Inspired by his exposure to the jazz idiom, Matthew would go on to study it’s rich history and culture in college, first earning an Associates of Arts and Science with a concentration in music from Bellevue College before transitioning to the University of Washington, where he earned his Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Studies in 2022. Studying under such esteemed bassists as Tim Carey and Steve Rodby, Matthew would cultivate a deep understanding of western music, with particular attention paid to jazz music, music theory, and the bass. All the while, he would forge his own unique musical voice and expansive approach to the role of the bass. Among his greatest inspirations on the bass are James Jamerson, Scott LaFaro, Jaco Pastorius, and Ron Carter. Beyond the institution of the bass, Matthew finds inspiration from an eclectic range of musicians, including such monumental figures as Bill Evans, Brian Eno, Damon Albarn, and Kendrick Lamar, to name a few. Shortly after the completion of his music degree, and with over a decade of experience as a musician under his belt, Matthew would begin teaching privately to share his learnings and love of music. Beyond electric and upright bass, he offers instruction on guitar, ukulele, and piano. Matthew’s teaching philosophy is one of holistic perspective; he believes that while we train students to be instrumentalists, we first aspire to develop musicians, and before that, to cultivate artists. We as musicians strive to bring out our most creative selves, and that purpose should at no point be obscured by method or technique. Matthew’s approach is student based, where the direction of instruction is determined by the interests and desires of the student. Current music projects of Matthew’s include a soon-to-be-released solo bass album and Seattle-based jazz-rock-pop group The Outtatowners.