Jazz Bassist Matt Dwonszyk Talks New Album Live at the Side Door & His Career

Welcome to a new edition of the Neon Jazz Interview Series featuring accomplished jazz bassist, composer, arranger, and educator Matt Dwonszyk. We caught up with Matt to discuss his outstanding 2026 release, Live at the Side Door, and his remarkable journey through the world of jazz. Based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Matt has become one of the most sought-after bassists in New England. A graduate of the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz and holder of a master's degree from SUNY Purchase College, he has built a respected career as both a performer and educator. Today, he serves on the faculty of Manchester Community College and Central Connecticut State University while maintaining a busy performance schedule. Matt began playing electric bass at age eleven before transitioning to upright bass during his time at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. That decision launched a lifelong dedication to jazz, improvisation, composition, and musical excellence. In this conversation, we discuss the making of Live at the Side Door, the experience of recording live jazz, his development as a bassist and bandleader, the importance of jazz education, and the lessons learned from years of performing with some of the region's finest musicians. Get the album: Live at the Side Door on Bandcamp Learn more about Matt: Matt Dwonszyk Official Website For More Neon Jazz: Shows via MixCloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/neonjazzkc/ Subscribe via Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/neonjazzkc Subscribe via iTunes/Apple - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/famous-interviews-joe-dimino/id546432639?mt=2 The Home of Neon Jazz: http://theneonjazz.blogspot.com/ Contribute to Neon Jazz via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=ER Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.