Spotlight on bass player and jazz violinist Matt Garbutt

Spotlight on bass player and jazz violinist Matt Garbutt

2024-01-24

Today we take you to meet Matt Garbutt, a violinist and bass guitarist from the U.K. He played bass guitar and double bass professionally for 15 years, performing with several musical theater productions in the U.K. and internationally. However, due to a neurological condition, Garbutt stopped playing the bass and decided to come to Taiwan in 2016 to teach and perform jazz violin. FTV reporter Stephany Yang caught up with Garbutt to find out more about his career.

He plays "The Moon Represents My Heart" on the violin with a jazz twist. Matt Garbutt is a jazz violinist and bass guitarist from the U.K. Garbutt moved to Taiwan in 2016, and he busks around Taipei performing jazz hits and Taiwanese songs. 

Matt Garbutt
Violin player
I play all sorts styles like straight jazz, gypsy jazz as well, more like European jazz. When I go busking, when I perform in the streets I play all sorts of styles. I have learned lots of Taiwanese songs because Taiwanese people like to see foreigners playing Taiwanese music. I play folk, pop, The Beatles, The Carpenters, old stuff, new stuff. I am trying to learn some more new stuff to play to appeal to younger people but some of the stuff doesn’t sound so good on the violin. That is the challenge. 

Garbutt was classically trained on the violin and piano from the age of 7. Later, when he was 16, he began playing bass guitar. After graduating from King’s College London, he started playing bass guitar and double bass professionally, performing in a variety of musical theater productions in the U.K. and internationally for 15 years.

Violin player
I have been involved in several different theater productions. The longest was “Mama Mia!” That was for four and half years. I also spent 18 months on the production “Wicked,” touring the U.K., the show about the Wizard of Oz. The wicked witch. “The Lion King” I spent a short time on that. “Jesus Christ Superstar,” which is one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musicals. Musically “Mama Mia!” was the most memorable because it was the most fun to play. ABBA has written some amzing tunes. It was great fun to play these baselines. “Wicked” was also a lot of fun because it is challenging. It is very difficult to play so it was very satisfying to play. 

However, in 2015, he developed a neurological condition that caused him to lose control of his hands. Therefore, he had to stop playing the bass and touring professionally. But he didn’t quit making music. Instead, he began to foster his interest in jazz violin.  

Matt Garbutt
Violin player
It is a neurological condition. I kind of lost control of my hand basically through kind of a few issues. Not really practicing properly or warming up.I learned the hard way kind of thing. It is called dystonia. It is a long story but it is a long road to sort of to be a bass player again but I am currently having therapy and various guidance to become a bass player again. One day, I hope to resume my professional career as a bass player. It doesn’t affect playing the violin, I just hold the bow. It is absoultely fine.

Garbutt moved to Taiwan in 2016 with his Taiwanese wife. Besides performing across the streets of Taipei as well as at jazz bars and other venues, he also teaches jazz violin. 

Matt Garbutt
Violin player
I focus on jazz violin. I teach a bit of English but when I teach violin, it is mainly jazz and just how to use your ears, how to listen. It is not really classical violin that is more like reading music and very precise technique. I teach people to kind of feel the music and use their ears. When you play jazz, you have to sort of feel it here and here. There are many classical violin players here. The kind of style that I go for is jazz or folk. I kind of bring my own thing to it. In terms of the jazz scene, it is kind of small in Taiwan but it is definitely growing and there are some great jazz musicians. Living here is great. It is very different from the U.K. Sometimes it is a little challenging in certain ways but I love how convenient everything is. I feel very safe here. The people are obviously very friendly.

Having lived in Taiwan for seven years now, Garbutt sees Taiwan as his second home. He hopes to play bass professionally again, as well as teach more people jazz violin and spread joy through his performances. 

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