I'm Coming Home

mattsmith

Platinum Member
Today I was walking towards the Piata Romana subway like I had so many times before. I passed the little corner where a big art gallery hides the Art Jazz Club then stopped to look accross the busiest street in Eastern Europe towards the Intercontinental Hotel facing the other direction.

Then I just stopped ...looked around and decided it was enough.

When the TV show wraps up and I finish the jazz tour in Montenegro, that will be it.

Two years here is enough. I'm coming home.

I got a lot out of this place and I'll take away a lifetime of memories but I'm an American and that's how I feel it...the music, the attitude, the vibe...everything.

What's even more incredible is that I really don't have a plan but I've got to think one will make itself known. I just have to do this because I feel the next step is the real one. I've done a lot of ground work and I'm better.

So now it's time to find a gig.

A real one.

Yep, I know the music line in America is longer than any other, but hopefully all this shortened it up a bit. I've been pretty close already. Now it's time to get over the hump. I plan to leave enough connection here to come back to finish a couple of things, but by the fall I'm dug back in.

If anyone in The States is looking for a drummer...loves jazz most but adapts to all styles then I'm your man. And as impulse as all this is...I feel like it's the right move.
 
Today I was walking towards the Piata Romana subway like I had so many times before. I passed the little corner where a big art gallery hides the Art Jazz Club then stopped to look accross the busiest street in Eastern Europe towards the Intercontinental Hotel facing the other direction.

Then I just stopped ...looked around and decided this was enough.

When the TV show wraps up and I finish the jazz tour in Montenegro, that will be it.

Two years here is enough. I'm coming home.

I got a lot out of this place and I'll take away a lifetime of memories but I'm an American and that's how I feel it...the music, the attitude, the vibe...everything.

What's even more incredible is that I really don't have a plan but I've got to think one will make itself known. I just have to do this because I feel the next step is the real one. I've done a lot of ground work and I'm better.

So now it's time to find a gig.

A real one.

Yep, I know the music line in America is longer than any other, but hopefully all this shortened it up a bit. I've been pretty close already. Now it's time to get over the hump. I plan to leave enough connection here to come back to finish a couple of things, but by the fall I'm dug back in.

If anyone is looking for a drummer...loves jazz most but adapts to all styles then I'm your man. And as impulse as all this is...I feel like it's the right move.

Matt, I haven't interacted much with you directly, but I've seen you around the internet quite a bit over the last few years. I'm always impressed with the way you handle yourself, as well as your killer drumming abilities. I wish you the best of luck in your search for the next gig. If you're ever near York, PA, make sure to contact me and we'll meet up and talk drums ;D
 
I can feel it coming across in your post. You're centered and decided. This is gonna be good. It must be exciting to know that your "groundwork" is complete, and that it's time to dispose w/ the "preliminaries" and whip your bad self on the States. I'm curious to see where you land. What state will be your home?

I'll arrange a ticker tape parade lol.
 
Cool Matt.

Where in the US? I assume you mean the East Coast. But if you decide on LA, we'll go hang at the Baked Potato or something.
 
It's probably a good idea. You've established an eastern european prescence and now it's time to move on to different things before you end up being seen as going stale. Good luck mate :)
 
Matt, you have the right attitude and work ethic to make it. I'm sure you'll have no problem finding yourself a serious gig in the States.
 
Thanks everybody.

No I don't have a particular place although I want to tour and/or latch on with something established. Sure jazz is in there, but if somebody hears about a pop, rock or hip hop gig or some established band's audition in most any genre I want to be there. In fact some of you might recall that I was one of the first people talked about for the Smashing Pumpkins gig a couple of years ago when they started the whole concept of going with the relatively unknown super young guy. It was even being talked about on Billy Corgan's site and to this day I have no idea what started it. Yeah I was a little disappointed when that whole deal suddenly dried up, but now since I learned so many lessons here I'm now believing that timing occurs for a reason.

East coast, west coast ...in the middle... or all of it. It can be any music based endeavor that's trying to get somewhere but is already past the dreaming stage. Right now it can be a reality show in LA. That's how open I am. I'm also not altogether an unknown so there must be some nickels and dimes out there. No wait a minute...shoot high...definitely 5s and 10s.

Thanks again. I wasn't thinking my ephiphany would actually get responses. Much appreciated.
 
...

I have a good feeling about this.

First off, I think its incredible that you did this " discover the world outside" stint abroad. Speaks volumes of a fine attitude towards living life and living your music. Most people cant do this and even if they can, they'd rather not. What a wealth of experience you must have gained..

I also feel, perhaps this is the right time for you to throw yourself in the deep end. Playing with cats better than yourself. Its a good rule to try and go by.

For that reason alone, I'd love to see you in NYC. Tough market, tough to break in but worth a shot for a guy with your skills, reputation, and the love of the kind of music you love. I know a lot of NYC guys have up and left for Nashville because there's more work there, I still think, there enough and it 's worth a serious crack for you.

Anyhow, whatever you choose to do, if you do it with this attitude, its bound to work like gangbusters.

good luck.

PS- Any hey, I'm seeing big music festivals in your future too..
 
Last edited:
Thanks so much to all for the surprising number of very tangible reentry ideas via pm and elsewhere. I think I am going to try to be back for summer NAMM in Nashville and I have a pass wrangled if I do some promotional work for an old friend I haven't seen in 3 years. Maybe I'll see some of you there.
 
Just stumbled across this Matt. I think everything has been said, & somehow I feel you'll land running. How do you look in a mouse suit? Oh, sorry, that gig's already taken, lol!

I see you in some form of creative association whilst gigging to allow your creative side to flow. I know you've had desires to merge jazz & modern/electro forms. I just hope you find a way to bring that to fruition. Take your time, you've got plenty of it.
 
Way to go, Matt. You're a focused guy who knows what he wants and how to get it. It's pretty easy to tell, just by the words you've written, that you're ready for this.

Hey, if you happen to find yourself in the Southeast Michigan area for any reason, you'll have to let me know. I'm a gracious host. Yeah, I'll probably try to mooch free advice about technique from you but the drinks and food will be on me :)

Best of luck, man. I know you'll keep us all posted. If I hear of anything, I'll let you know.
 
Matt, why not go back to school? If I were your age and in your position I'd go for a scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music.

One of my favorite bass players, Jeff Koch, recently graduated from that school and he's already done a European tour. He plays all over New York, he's building a solid and he's definitely going places. He's the real deal.

Surely you'd be more than eligible for a scholarship there.
 
I would hope that if you reach ever the level that Matt is, a profitable career in drumming is guaranteed.

But there's no guarantees.
 
I would hope that if you reach ever the level that Matt is, a profitable career in drumming is guaranteed.

But there's no guarantees.
Thanks Larry but I definitely have weaknesses believe me. For one thing my reading is still nothing close to where I need to have it and there are some classical chops and mallets playing that I've unfortunately almost walked away from. So I've got to keep working. Then there are just times when you want to chill and lately I've started to get a little nonproductive out here. I know the TV show is kind of a body of work. But there needs to be a better branch out. I also think I could do a decent drum clinic and I would be a less expensive alternative for the place that wanted ultra famous until they found out how expensive he/she was.

Right now my biggest obstacle is still age. Guys I would like to be playing with call the age card... as do older drummers who don't want me in their club. But if I'm leading the band then that's supposed to be really good. But if I start all that when I'm 25 then the industry says I'm too old to be a young up and comer. But if I join some rock band as a member then age doesn't factor but I'm pigeonholed.

Seriously...it's all pretty stupid and a juggling act. But it also seems to be the game that goes on.

And yeah I want more school for sure. But I'm not walking away from biz contacts to immerse myself in a system and get the fish eye from my peers at the music school. AIM was one thing. That was a one year get it together program. But doing the 4 year is a way of life, although I'm ready again for a serious mentor/teacher.

My idea is to get myself set up and established THEN go back to school on my own terms. I'm also not altogether sure that my major would be music anyway. But school would have to be where the gigs already were.

Lot to think about for sure.
 
Back
Top