Musicians

Matt Reed Guitar, Vocals & Bandleader

• Matt Reed is a vocalist, actor & multi-instrumentalist and has been working professionally in the Chicago area since childhood.  After studying music and theatre at Northwestern University, Matt joined forces with Arlen Music Consultants.  Upon seeing a need for a smaller high-energy dance band, the Matt Reed Band was formed and has carved out a niche as one of the most exciting ensembles in Chicago.

  In addition to his work with Matt Reed Band, Matt has performed and recorded with a variety of musical acts such as Paul K and Weathermen, Chris Mills, James Moody, Judy Roberts, Placido Domingo and Mr. Blotto.  Matt is also a singer-songwriter, composer and arranger.  Since releasing his first solo album, “Where the Pale Girls Go,”   Matt has composed music for dance, theater and film, including various projects for Striding Lion Interarts Workshop, a newly-developed musical version of Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, a dance piece entitled “The Jenkins Farm Project,” and his music can be heard throughout, “Hosoi” a recent documentary about skateboard legend Christian Hosoi.

  Matt’s talents also extend to theatrical performance and comedy.  After completing Second City’s Conservatory Program, Matt has also busied himself writing and performing improv/sketch comedy shows at Comedy Sportz and at Second City’s Donny’s Skybox Theater.  His comedic music trio, The Listening Zoo, is set to release a double album December of 2008.

  Matt’s performances and compositions have received accolades from such magazines as the Chicago Reader, Daily Candy, Time Out Chicago, the Chicago Sun Times and The Village Voice.

Charlotte Hunt Vocals

• Charlotte "Charlie" Hunt is an incredibly talented and versatile vocalist who brings a smooth soulfulness to the electrifying sound of the Matt Reed Band. Charlie came to the Matt Reed Band after working as a side-woman across genres, on-stage and in-studio with international and local artists and musicians such as dance diva Kim English, the UK's Julie Dexter, Zeleke of East Africa, the legendary Charles "Organaire" Cameron of Jamaica (famous for his popular song included in the feature film "Love Jones"), Chicago's award winning reggae band Gizzae, psychedelic Hendrix-like rock guitarist Stan Skibby and fronting bands such as Rico, Truck Turner, and Sumo and other indie groups. She also toured Africa as part of a month-long event organized by the African Union, the World Bank and UNICEF. When not performing live music, Charlie does studio session performances and writes music for other artists.

• Rob Clearfield

  Keyboards

  
  A native of the Chicago area, Rob Clearfield has had the privilege of a very diverse musical background. Since high school, Rob has shown an interest in many styles of music, studying and performing jazz, gospel, rock, hip-hop, classical and afro-latin. After studying at the Chicago College of Performing Arts, Clearfield has enjoyed a successful career as a performer, working professionally with such artists as Fareed Haque, Grazyna Auguscik, Rakalam Bob Moses, Juma Santos, Ernest Dawkins, and Walt Whitman and the Soul Children of Chicago. In addition to his work as a performer, Clearfield is also an active composer, and his original music can be heard in the indie rock group Information Superhighway.

• Bryan Doherty

  Bass

  
  Bryan Doherty showed extensive musical talent from childhood, playing piano at the age of eight, guitar and string bass at eleven, and cornet and electric bass at twelve. Absorbing the records he heard at home, Bryan fell in love with the music of the Beatles, Frank Zappa, Miles Davis, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Earth Wind and Fire, The O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder and Sly & the Family Stone. After high school at Milwaukee High School of the Arts Bryan moved to Chicago to study classical and jazz bass at the Chicago College of Performing Arts. Since moving to Chicago, Bryan has performed with Brian Lynch, Wycliffe Gordon, Koko Taylor, Jim McNeely, Lew Soloff, Regina Carter, Ndugu Chanceler, John McLean, Tito Carillo, and currently performs with the Chuchito Valdes Latin Ensemble.

• Larry Brown

  Drums

  
  Born in New York, drummer Larry Brown began his career teaching percussion studies at Western New Mexico University.  After moving to Chicago, Larry connected with Matt Reed and has been drumming with the Matt Reed Band since its inception.  He has recorded and performed with dozens of Chicago bands and musicians, including Julie Frost, Fareed Haque, Justin Roberts, Jerry DeVivo and the Dylan Rice band.

• Dan Hesler

  Saxophone

  
  A veteran Chicago saxophonist and flautist, Dan enjoys playing rock and roll, acoustic jazz, and contemporary “smooth jazz.” He has been exercising his talents in countless different settings in Chicago over the last 20 years. Some of his many performance credits include the reggae of Big Red and the Professionals, the country swing of Jump and the Saddle, the world jazz of Flippomusic, and the hard fusion of Digression Mode. He has also toured with such luminaries as the Four Lads, the Four Aces and Frankie Lane.