Matt has written and produced his first solo album entitled, Let Go. Let Go displays a blend of all the influences he grew up listening to, including Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, XTC, The Police, Peter Gabriel, and Genesis. “I like to call it Progressive-Pop-Rock,” he says. Matt plays guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and sings both lead and background vocals. Guesting on the album on drums are Marco Minnemann and Jonathan Mover. Joining him on keyboards for the song Waiting For The Fall is his Sound of Contact bandmate, Dave Kerzner. The album is now available on Matt’s Bandcamp page.
HISTORY
After growing up in a home filled with music, Matt’s musical career began by creating original music with his high school band, Vital Image, playing bass, keyboards and singing background vocals. He continued to develop his songwriting skills and musical style while studying philosophy in college. He founded The Matt Dorsey Band thereafter.
He took his first professional gig as the bass player for Blues artist, Beth Hart. When that gig ended, Matt joined Simon Collins, son of the legendary Phil Collins, to tour his third solo album. Matt became Simon’s keyboardist, second guitarist, and backing vocalist before switching over to the bass. When that tour ended, Matt and Simon, along with Dave Kerzner and Kelly Nordstrom, formed a new band. These four guys became Sound of Contact, released the award-winning Dimensionaut, and toured Europe and the US for a few years. After the band split up, Matt continued working with Dave Kerzner’s In Continuum and solo projects, both in the studio and on the road, and has played alongside Kerzner at several major festivals including Cruise to the Edge. He then spent time writing, playing, and mixing for Circuline. In 2021/22, he was involved with progressive rock cover supergroup, ProgJect, alongside Michael Sadler, Ryo Okumoto, Mike Keneally, and Jonathan Mover.
After decades of performing with other bands, Matt decided it was time to revisit his own music. He discovered there was an audience for it and he resumed writing and recording. In October 2022, he debuted some of his solo material at ProgStock Festival and returned to ProgStock Festival in Rutherford, NJ, in October 2023 to debut the album live with The Matt Dorsey Band, with Matt on guitar/vocals, Randy McStine (Steven Wilson Band, Porcupine Tree) on bass/backing vocals, Andrew Colyer (Circuline, The Tubes) on keyboards/backing vocals, and Chris Dorsey on drums/backing vocals. Following the festival, Matt opened for Progressive Rock giants Marillion at Marillion Weekend in Canada. Matt will return to ProgStock in 2024 on bass and backing vocals with the band Circuline and then go out on tour opening for the UK band Lifesigns with his friend and former bandmate, Mike Keneally, on Lifesign’s first tour in the US.
Let Go displays a blend of all the influences he grew up listening to, including Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd, Steely Dan, XTC, The Police, Peter Gabriel, and Genesis. “I like to call it Progressive-Pop-Rock,” he says. On his debut solo album, Matt plays guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and sings both lead and background vocals. Guesting on the album on drums are Marco Minnemann and Jonathan Mover. Joining him on keyboards for the song Waiting For The Fall is his Sound of Contact and In Continuum bandmate, Dave Kerzner.
Today finds Matt writing and recording new material in his home studio; adding vocals, bass and guitar to several additional projects; and enjoying the southern California lifestyle with his wife, Gita and furry friend, Sophie.
