Matt Siffert is a singer-songwriter. His work combines folk-influenced songwriting with jazz and classical music, as well as poetry and spoken-word.
A native New Yorker, Siffert’s childhood was spent immersed in the city’s rich and diverse musical history, from Leonard Bernstein to Public Enemy, Miles Davis to The Strokes. Drawn at a young age to the stylistic diversity of the bass, Siffert bought an American-made electric bass, beginning his musical life in rock and hip-hop before moving to jazz and classical music.
While living abroad in Havana, Cuba, Siffert fell in love with the country’s folk music, which combined songwriting with jazz harmony, African rhythm, and rock energy; it was all of his early influences wrapped into one musical language. Realizing that songwriting could unite his eclectic musical interests, he bought a Cuban-made acoustic guitar and began writing songs.
Siffert’s songwriting voice developed through his love of people and the nature of the human condition. His life in New York City and Havana led him to a variety of angles, including politics, humor, romance, and friendship.
Since returning from Cuba, Siffert has released six works as a solo artist – ‘Morningside,’ ‘Cold Songs,’ ‘Rise,’ ‘Punch,’ ‘Fireside,’ and ‘Accelerations.’ He has performed in New York venues such as Le Poisson Rouge and Rockwood Music Hall, as well as nationally and internationally, from New Orleans to Florence. He has collaborated with groups such as loadbang and International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), as well as artists such as Jon Batiste and Jean-Michel Pilc. He has been featured in The New Yorker, Time Out New York, The Deli, I Care If You Listen, and NPR.
Siffert lives in New York City and Nashville, with his Cuban guitar and American bass.