Matthew Baker is a versatile instrumentalist performing in styles ranging from jazz to classical, celtic to tango, and most other things in between. Originally from the USA, Matt has lived in Valencia, Spain since 2006 working as a double bassist in the Palau de les Arts (opera of Valencia), which was founded by Lorin Maazel and Zubin Mehta as well as teaching jazz and contemporary music at Berklee College of Music Valencia.

Matt has performed throughout the world with numerous ensembles and received accolades from publications such as The Strad, Gramophone, BBC Music Magazine, and The Times amongst many others. With his string quintet, the Elan Quintet, Matt has done world premiere recordings of 7 quintets by the French Romantic Era composer, George Onslow in a cycle by Naxos Records rediscovering Onslow’s beautiful quintet music with double bass. He also performs on the rare instrument, the baryton, in his chamber trio, the Valencia Baryton Project, which has recorded Naxos Records’ first ever CD of the baryton, launching a new series for one of the world’s largest classical labels. 

As a jazz performer, in addition to his own ensembles, JPMB and Duo Baker Zambelli, Matt has shared the stage with legends such as Bob Mintzer, Victor Wooten, Clark Terry, and many others. In 2019, Matt performed the world’s first concert of jazz baryton and has since then pushed the boundaries of the instrument to work on experimental electronic music with French pianist and composer, Baptiste Bailly and Italian electronic music artist, IMGL. Matt is an ambassador to Schertler Electronics and Velvet Strings and is an endorser for Wiedoeft Rosin.