Matt Silver
Digital WriterMatt Silver is a journalist, commentator, and storyteller who’s been enamored with the concept of performance since his grandparents told him as a toddler that singing "Sunrise, Sunset" in rooms full of strangers was the cool thing to do.
In his writing—informed by backgrounds in law, reporting, and creative writing— he seeks to understand the indulgent, joy-enhancing, and therapeutic power of music within the context of our everyday lives and the challenges of our wider culture; he knows of no other artistic medium that speaks to, speaks for, and nourishes life’s panoply of emotional shades and colors to a similar extent. Why does music not just provide enjoyment but imbue us with purpose? Why, when awestruck by a piece of music, do you play it over and over again so as to hold onto that exalted feeling for just a moment longer? Wait, it can’t be just Matt who does that, right?
His love of jazz comes from his father, Ken, an accomplished clarinetist, bandleader, and educator, who's passed on his extensive knowledge of the Real Book and an abiding love for jazz tunes with Broadway origins.
Matt’s contributed regularly to WRTI's Arts Desk since 2018; his work has also appeared on NPR.org and public media platforms across the country, as well as in The Jewish Exponent (Philadelphia), Washington Jewish Week, Jewish News of Greater Phoenix, and The Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.
In addition to writing for WRTI's Arts Desk, Matt can frequently be found whistling Gershwin or Bernstein with gusto or trying to replicate the sounds of Stan Getz and Larry McKenna on his saxophone, which he's found is a good deal harder than it looks. He is a proud member of that group of hardy souls who got their start at WRTI hosting Jazz through the Night, and is the host emeritus of The Silver Standard, a weekly sports-talk program that aired on Philadelphia’s 610 ESPN.
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What’s a kid from West Chester, PA know about the soul of New Orleans jazz? A little more than you’d think.
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With boundless idiomatic versatility and impeccable control and intonation in the lower registers, Lauren Henderson proves herself a force on Musa.
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Classical Album Of The Week: Itzhak Perlman Protégé Randall Goosby Debuts Spectacularly with 'Roots'The 24-year-old violinist Randall Goosby’s major label debut, Roots, is unique in several ways.
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Musical polymath Greg Spero, who premieres new content each month on WRTI's Live Sessions page, can see the future of the music industry from his Tiny Records in Los Angeles.
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Humility and comfort. Those are the qualities that shine through most prominently when I listen to In Harmony, live recordings of trumpeter Roy Hargrove and pianist Mulgrew playing as a duo in 2006 and 2007.
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With his natural feel and an ability to draw from a massive store of repertoire, it’s easy to see—and hear—why Cohen’s been a fast-rising star for a while now.
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August 9, 2021. When you listen to a Patricia Barber album, you're listening to a jazz album, but that’s not all you're listening to. Clique, just…
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In addition to being a supremely talented musician, Roni Ben-Hur is a smart man. The veteran guitarist—Israeli born and raised—not only understands how to craft tunes, but also gets how to build an album that reflects the essential touchstones of his musicality.
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August 2, 2021. Elisabeth Remy Johnson sensed an imbalance: While there were plenty of female harpists playing in prominent symphonies, there seemed to be…
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July 26, 2021. Frankie Valli and the vast catalogue of popular hits he’s produced over six decades are an American treasure. Nobody does…