MATT VANCE is one of the top-call professional saxophone and woodwind performers in Florida and the southeast United States. He is a member of multi GRAMMY-nominated recording artists Chuck Owen and the Jazz Surge, performs regularly with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, and has performed with many name artists throughout his career, including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, The Manhattan Transfer, Barry Manilow, Martina McBride, Olivia Newton-John, Debbie Reynolds, The Temptations, Ben Vereen, and many others. Performances with notable jazz artists include Michael Brecker, Randy Brecker, Bob Brookmeyer, Bob Mintzer, Frank Foster, Peter Erskine, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Slide Hampton, Ingrid Jensen, Joe Lovano and Bobby Shew. Matt has also played in the pit orchestras of Broadway national touring productions including 42nd Street, Chicago The Musical, Motown: The Musical, The Producers and The Rat Pack: Live at the Sands. He received performance degrees from Appalachian State University and Florida State University, studying applied saxophone, bassoon and jazz studies.
Matt is also the Woodwind Product Specialist for Buffet Crampon USA, one of the world’s leading wind instrument manufacturers, and oversees woodwind research & development and quality control for Buffet Crampon, Julius Keilwerth, Rigoutat and Schreiber instruments in North America, as well as Verne Q. Powell Sonaré flutes. Before joining Buffet Crampon USA, Matt served on the faculties of Florida State College at Jacksonville, the University of North Florida, Jacksonville University and Appalachian State University’s Cannon Music Camp. He has judged jazz ensembles at the regional and state levels in Florida for over 20 years and continues to maintain a private studio for saxophone and woodwind students.
Matt recently created his own recording studio for saxophone/woodwind overdubs, horn section arrangements, and voice-overs, drawing on his 30+ years of studio recording and announcing experience. Geaque Rhume Studios, established in 2020, caters to recording artists and clients looking to add solo saxophone, saxophone sections, and horn sections to any and all styles of music recordings, as well as narration/voice-overs to projects requiring voice talent.
Photo credits: Edwin Koester (home page), Larisa Melkumova (head shot)