Matt Nakoa: Live at the Rustic Church

MATT NAKOA grew up on a small goat farm in Smyrna, NY and began

composing music as a teenager. Following a formative stint as a classical pianist,

Matt won scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. There he

studied alongside soon-to-be Grammy winners St. Vincent and Esperanza

Spaulding among others. After college, Matt toured with his band, The Fens, and

eventually landed in New York City’s vibrant piano bar scene. Matt quickly

became a star performer at Manhattan’s Brandy’s Piano Bar, with lines of people

waiting outside the door each Saturday night.

Matt’s first solo album, Light In The Dark (2012), is an eclectic pop opus. In

contrast, A Dozen Other Loves (2014), explores a simple acoustic palette. This

intimate collection has earned many songwriting awards, including a win at

Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Competition. Additionally, Matt’s

piano music has received favorable reviews in publications including The New

York Times, and his film scoring has been featured by Disney. Matt now tours

internationally, recently performing at The White House, throughout India, and

regularly with folk music icon Tom Rush. Matt is endorsed by Stonebridge Guitars.