Sean Tobin @ The Underdog

Matt Koziol, age 21, is no stranger to the sounds of what most consider “the golden years of music.” Born in Linden, New Jersey, he grew up listening to the world around him. Every sound that came out of the radio or tape deck flavored his music. Elvis was one of his largest influences growing up. “I really didn’t know who he was until I was older, but I knew his name, and his music. At the age of 3, I knew what I wanted to do with my life.” Ten years later Matt picked up a guitar and began listening to classic rock (Led Zeppelin, Cream, Aerosmith, etc.) His musical experience was in motion. He studied all the great guitar players and singers trying to find what made them tick. “It was amazing to me to see the state of complete solitude these musicians went into while playing. It was like they were in a different world, and I wanted to see what that world was like!” The summer before his freshman year of high school Matt started writing his own music. Inspired by the many years of listening to James Taylor (his father’s favorite artist), Matt began to work on his craft of song writing. During his high school years he was involved in local theatre groups, and worked on his vocal training singing classical music in the New Jersey All-State Choir. “I knew at some point that I was a fairly decent guitar player, and I could sing, however I never knew how to put it all together until I heard John Mayer on the radio. His style really set me back and it was then that I realized what I’d been looking for! So I took what I learned from him and from the music made in the many years before him. Guys like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, all these great guys who played for that ‘moment’ and that’s what put me over the edge, pushing me further into my career of being a musician. At 14 my music teacher urged me to do an open mic night at a local coffee shop. I haven’t stopped performing since Those 10 minutes of pressure lit a fire in me.” A few short years later Matt has just released his debut EP “Good Man Down.” “This CD is a taste of what is to come. I wanted to bring the ‘moment’ back into the hearts of listeners. I want people have a chill run down their arm at the end of a CD like I had when I listened to Billy Joel’s “Storm Front” the first time. That ‘moment hasn’t been around for a long time and its time for a second lap.” He has performed in places all over the Tri- State Area, including the famous Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ and Sullivan Hall in New York City, NY. Matt is currently touring locally in an effort to spread his unique musical styling to as many listeners as possible. You can check out samples of his album “Good Man Down” on iTunes