Matthew Johnson (Matt Saxx)
Matthew Johnson, perhaps better known under his stage alias Matt Saxx, has, in his career to date, become widely recognised as one of the world’s leading nightclub saxophonists.
Having studied on the Isle of Wight with ace jazz saxophonist Gary Plumley, Matt gained a place at Leeds College of Music, where he studied under the tutorship of Jim Corry, Jamiroquai’s sax player. Since graduating in 2014 with a BA(Hons)(Jazz Studies), Matt has specialised in pop and house music.
His first major residency was with global lifestyle brand CandyPants, playing not only throughout the UK (Oracle – Leeds; House of Hugo – Sheffield; Livello – Newcastle) but also in Ibiza (STK – Ibiza Town) and in Marbella (Plaza Beach and Mirage – Puerto Banus). Further afield, Matt has played at Formula 1 events in Abu Dhabi and at New Year’s Eve extravaganzas at FIVE in Dubai, where he was spotted by internationally renowned house music act Claptone and was invited to guest for two numbers to rapturous applause.
Since 2018, Matt has been spending half of his working year in Ibiza, where he plays every week of the summer season at what is arguably the world’s greatest beach club: OBeach for HotBed; sharing the stage with legendary DJ/Producer MK (Marc Kinchen), alongside resident DJs Billy Cocks, Larry London, Lloyd & Parris and Danny Langan. The HotBed brand has also taken him to Dubai’s SoHo Beach Club for a weekly residency preceding acts such as Sandy Rivera. Afloat, he is the resident saxophonist for the Pukka Up boat franchise, performing regularly off Ibiza’s golden shores. He also appears for Wndrlnd and House In Paradise, Pukka Up’s sister companies, at super-club Eden and OBeach Club respectively. Matt Saxx’s other notable Balearic residencies include San Antonio’s Itaca nightclub, fronting Ladies Night, Playroom, DooWop, Ibiza Classics and SOKO and various venues with Symphonic Ibiza, a 24-piece orchestra that covers electronic dance classics.
For the other six months of his year, Matt bases himself in England, UK, performing for HotBed at top venues like Century, McQueens and SugarHut. He has also appeared at Tobacco Dock, London, with HotBed’s sister brand Abode. Furthermore, he was one of the few selected to represent the brand at Abode In The Park and at We Are Festival. North of the border, he plays exclusively at WhyNot in Edinburgh, Scotland. His busy schedule also features one-off exclusive boat parties on the River Thames. Other winter highlights include fronting Viral Music’s events in St Anton, Austria – ‘Powder - Ibiza to the Alps’ – following on from earlier appearances at Dick’s Tea Bar in Val d’Isere. In 2021 in Val Thorens, France, he will appear in a star-studded line-up for Abode In The Snow, which will also feature Darius Syrossian, Detlef and Latmun.
All this hard work has earned him sponsorship from saxophone manufacturer Yanagisawa and endorsed apparel from BoohooMAN, SikSilk and Yodada.
Looking to the future, Matt Saxx will be releasing a three-track EP with the HotBed Band, as well as collaborating on a track with Boon and featuring on music by various artists, including Damon Hess, Zach Tellett and Mr A. In addition, followers of Matt Saxx will see him in a completely different light in an exciting new riff-loop based project with drummer Dan Hudson.
Matt’s life’s work is dedicated to his parents, his friends and the mentors who have facilitated his musical journey.
Matt plays: Yanagisawa A901 & T901.