A professional jazz musician for over sixty years, Matt plays flugelhorn, trumpet, flute, soprano sax and vibes. He performed for many years with Grammy-winning baritone saxophonist Nick Brignola and studied composition with Edgar Curtis, Director of the Albany Symphony Orchestra.

Currently performing in several big bands, Matt led Rio JAZZ, a Brazilian jazz concert sextet from 1988 to 2018. In concert, Matt plays Brazilian sambas and bossa novas, jazz classics, and original compositions.

A 50+-year lifetime member of American Federation of Musicians, Matt is a retired professor of computer information systems and was academic dean at Dutchess Community College in Poughkeepsie, New York. For many years, Matt accomplished his goal of learning to play a new instrument every year to improve his composing and arranging abilities. Not only a multi-instrumentalist, he is in demand as a composer, arranger, sound engineer and recording sideman.

He is featured on eleven CDs released since 2006. In 2013, Matt orchestrated and performed four of his Brazilian jazz compositions in concert with the Northern Dutchess Symphony Orchestra. He currently directs and writes for the 14-piece Smithfield Chamber Orchestra.

► "Flugelhorn master!" - Poughkeepsie Journal

► "Your playing certainly is top notch." - Russ Davis, XM Radio Channel 72 (Beyond Jazz)

► "Matt's execution is virtually flawless; he smokes on every tune." - WWW.VINILEMANIA.NET

► "Remarkable technique on trumpet & flugelhorn" - Schenectady Gazette

► "Standout solo trumpet" - Troy Times Record

► Matt's CD, "Brazilian Wish", features nine of his original Brazilian jazz compositions and an all-star lineup produced by Jon Werking. World-best musicians include Romero Lubambo, Warren Bernhardt, Mark Egan, Joel Rosenblatt, Jon Werking, Tomas Martin Lopez, Dave Finck, Jeff Siegel, Jeff Ciampa, Dan Levine, Barry Danelian and David Mann. It's Rio JAZZ in a box!

► "Brazilian Wish showcases thirteen of the hippest Brazilian jazz performers in the world. Silky smooth grooves are expertly crafted and easy on the soul. This disc never takes its eyes off its roots, and is a hybrid of Brazilian sonic structures under sleek, melodic American style jazz." - J. Spica, Chronogram and WVKR Radio

Links
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Contact Info
Location: Dutchess County, NY
Website: www.mattfinley.com
Email

Videos

Saturday May 30 3:00 pm to 4:10 pm	6th Annual Spring Pops Concert with The Smithfield Chamber Orchestra, Matt Finley, Michelle Demko, Larry Ham, Lou Pappas,, Jeff Ciampa, Rob Murphy, Charles Gray,, Lisa Bellino, Walter Barrett, Milt Lee,, Laura Thompson, Jean Vilkelis, Alex Aitken,, Piotr Kargul Instrumental. Classical, Pop, and Jazz	The Smithfield Church 656 Smithfield Valley Road Amenia, NY   See Map
	The Smithfield Chamber Orchestra directed by Michelle Demko Saturday, May 30, 2026 at 3 pm The Smithfield Church, Rt. 83, Amenia, NY This popular group returns to play an eclectic mix of classical, jazz and pop music celebrating American composers Duke Ellington, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Stephen Sondheim, Kenny Dorham, Morton Gould, John Phillip Sousa, and others. Alex Aitken - drums Walter Barrett - trombone Lisa Bellino - clarinet Jeff Ciampa - guitar Michelle Demko - flute, piccolo, director Matt Finley - trumpet, flugelhorn, arranger Charles Gray - clarinet, saxes Larry Ham - piano, arranger Piotr Kargul - viola Milt Lee - conductor, trumpet Rob Murphy - violin Lou Pappas - double bass Laura Thompson - flute, piccolo Jean Vilkelis - cello Sponsored by the Bang Family Concert Series. $20 donation suggested to support future concerts. Children free. For more info:

CDs by Matt Finley

		Brazilian Wish 2006 Jazz, Latin, and Contemporary Exciting CD by jazz composer and flugelhorn artist Matt Finley featuring Matt's original Brazilian jazz sambas and bossa novas with world-best studio musicians. It's Rio JAZZ in a box!

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