Biography
A versatile drummer, songwriter, and producer, Matt Chamberlain has built a reputation as a sought-after session player whose range spans rock, classical, jazz, and experimental forms. He entered the world in San Pedro, California, in 1967 and took up drumming at ten, maintaining rigorous private lessons through adolescence. Following graduation from high school, he earned a scholarship to the acclaimed music program at North Texas State University yet left before completing his degree in order to chase performing work.
His initial professional engagement came with the Denton, Texas group Ten Hands, after which he signed on with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians in 1988. He remained until the band’s first dissolution in 1990 and contributed to its second release, Ghost of a Dog. Shortly thereafter he spent time in the early lineup of Pearl Jam—departing before the sessions for Ten—then performed for a year with G.E. Smith & the Saturday Night Live Band between 1991 and 1992.
Once his SNL tenure ended, Chamberlain settled in Seattle and established himself as a premier studio musician, accumulating credits alongside the Wallflowers, Tori Amos, Keith Urban, Elton John, Morrissey, and numerous additional artists. Parallel to these sideman roles, he launched the boundary-crossing instrumental ensemble Critters Buggin’ alongside saxophonist Skerik, bassist and reed player Brad Houser, and vibraphonist and percussionist Mike Dillon, releasing the albums Guest in 1994, Bumpa in 1998, and Monkeypot Merganzer in 2005.
His first solo effort, the self-titled Matt Chamberlain, appeared in 2005 on Trey Spruance’s Web of Mimicry imprint. He subsequently joined guitarist Bill Frisell’s quartet Floratone, performing on the 2007 debut album and its 2012 sequel, Floratone II. In 2013 Chamberlain teamed with pianist Brian Haas for Frames, a recording that blended instrumental jazz, avant-garde classical elements, and experimental post-rock textures; the pair followed with their second joint project, Prometheus Risen, in 2016.
His initial professional engagement came with the Denton, Texas group Ten Hands, after which he signed on with Edie Brickell & New Bohemians in 1988. He remained until the band’s first dissolution in 1990 and contributed to its second release, Ghost of a Dog. Shortly thereafter he spent time in the early lineup of Pearl Jam—departing before the sessions for Ten—then performed for a year with G.E. Smith & the Saturday Night Live Band between 1991 and 1992.
Once his SNL tenure ended, Chamberlain settled in Seattle and established himself as a premier studio musician, accumulating credits alongside the Wallflowers, Tori Amos, Keith Urban, Elton John, Morrissey, and numerous additional artists. Parallel to these sideman roles, he launched the boundary-crossing instrumental ensemble Critters Buggin’ alongside saxophonist Skerik, bassist and reed player Brad Houser, and vibraphonist and percussionist Mike Dillon, releasing the albums Guest in 1994, Bumpa in 1998, and Monkeypot Merganzer in 2005.
His first solo effort, the self-titled Matt Chamberlain, appeared in 2005 on Trey Spruance’s Web of Mimicry imprint. He subsequently joined guitarist Bill Frisell’s quartet Floratone, performing on the 2007 debut album and its 2012 sequel, Floratone II. In 2013 Chamberlain teamed with pianist Brian Haas for Frames, a recording that blended instrumental jazz, avant-garde classical elements, and experimental post-rock textures; the pair followed with their second joint project, Prometheus Risen, in 2016.
Albums
