"His guitar will simply transport you, to a plethora of places ... and many of them speak Spanish."
CJ Gronner, No Depression
"He should be known as a musical conquistador. From the Spanish musical armada intro to the blended finale track “Asi Es La Vida,” Matt Jennings shows that his voice, disposition and euphonious style is beautifully stark within the unmitigated album Todavia."
Kaleb Bronson, Rift Magazine
"The defining element in Jennings's music is his intricate songwriting. His melodies are constructed with a seemingly innate knack for structure and phrasing, and his songs are easily recognized after their first rotation."
Andrea Myers, City Pages
"On the guitar, he’s a wizard, going from Latin-style acoustic riffs, to classically-inspired Spanish flamenco guitar runs."
Shaking Like a Mountain
"Jack Johnson is the obvious comparison, but Jennings adds occasional flamenco flavor and Spanish lyrics on tracks like Todavia."
Carole Giambalvo, St. Petersburg Times
"Spanish guitar adds a saucy edge to his humorous, Jimmy Buffet narratives and Jack Johnson campfire appeal."
Matt Jennings grew up in Pittsburgh mimicking hard rock guitarists and honing his songwriting skills from an early age. After moving to Minneapolis for college, he studied abroad in Mexico and later taught English in China. In Mexico, he was entranced by the sound of mariachi trumpeters and violinists practicing on the streets. And he learned the basic techniques of mariachi guitar firsthand from a man named Nacho. In China, he played in a live karaoke band and a Chinese hard rock band, while spending countless hours watching the South China Sea out his apartment window with a $20 Kapok acoustic guitar in his hands. After soaking in how these different cultures use rhythm and melody, he transformed his hard rock and folk roots into an international style of music that incorporates elements of flamenco, reggae, surf, mariachi, samba, bachata, tango, jazz, and metal, among many other influences.
Jennings has self-released three albums and two EPs. He has toured the continent extensively, sharing the stage with acts such as Rodrigo y Gabriela, Jarabe de Palo, Bombino, Dengue Fever, Nano Stern, Anuhea, J Boog, Nick Hexum, and Donavon Frankenreiter.
Listen to Matt's Daytrotter session
