Guitarist Matthew Stevens is an in-demand solo artist and key collaborator of some of jazz’s biggest names. Along with tenorist Walter Smith III, he leads the In Common projects, a successful series of quintet recordings featuring luminaries of the New York scene Nate Smith, Linda Oh and Marcus Gilmore.

After graduating from Berklee College of Music in 2004, Stevens began to show up everywhere, as an essential contributor to new work by artists including Christian Scott, Terri Lyne Carrington, Harvey Mason, ERIMAJ, Sean Jones, Walter Smith III, Linda Oh, NEXT Collective and notably Esperanza Spalding, in whose Emily’s D+Evolution project Stevens was key.

In 2016 DownBeat Magazine included Stevens in their 25 For the Future issue and Stevens regularly places in the magazine’s annual Critics Poll Rising Star Guitar Category. In 2015, Stevens released his debut album, Woodwork, as a bandleader under Whirlwind Recordings/Crystal Math. Woodwork received enthusiastic reviews from DownBeat Magazine, The Irish Times, Jay Z’s Life and Times, Jazz Times Magazine, Jazz Wise Magazine, The Kansas City Star, The Ottawa Citizen, and more. LA Weekly described Woodwork as “an amalgamation of modern jazz and neo-fusion elements which showcase…sonic versatility and savvy producing chops.”