Manchester based trumpeter, composer, record label boss, arranger and band-leader Matthew Halsall is one of UK music’s brightest talents.
A gifted trumpeter with a beautiful, expressive tone, his heart-warming music draws on his love of the transcendental spiritual and modal jazz of Alice and John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, as well as more contemporary dance music and electronica.
His unique sound has won him fans from Gilles Peterson to MOJO Magazine, with the Independent On Sunday describing his music as “Rain-streaked spiritual jazz from Manchester” and Time Out Magazine hailing his “hypnotic grooves and life-affirming glow”. His record label Gondwana Records is one of the UK’s hippest independents and has released albums by Nat Birchall, Matthew Halsall and GoGo Penguin. 2014 releases include new albums from GoGo Penguin, The Gondwana Orchestra and exciting new discovery Mammal Hands.
Halsall’s live projects include his lithe, hypnotic, deeply melodic Matthew Halsall quintet featuring drummer Luke Flowers, pianist Taz Modi and harpist Rachel Gladwin and his larger ensemble The Gondwana Orchestra featuring an expanded line-up including koto, percussion and even a string quartet.

His latest album, Into Forever featuring singers Josephine Oniyama & Bryony Jarman-Pinto is released in October 2015.  For more information please see here: http://www.riotsquadpublicity.com/publicity/matthew-halsall-the-gondwana-orchestra/