Beginning at the age of 17, guitar player Rick Matle has had an expansive musical career. He has worked in musical theater, toured with national show groups, and performed for two years with a jazz trio on the East Coast. But his most significant and productive work has come from his collaboration with singer/composer Sheila Landis. The recipients of several jazz awards, they have more than ten albums together, becoming one of the Midwest's better recognized duos. Matle had an extensive musical education, having formally studied classical guitar, composing, and arranging before receiving a B.A. in Music Performance from Oakland University. Matle's cool style, digital dexterity, and clean sound reflects the influences of the two jazz guitar players he admires the most: Joe Pass and Kenny Burrell. His ability to create a melange of sonics from the guitar comes from the his other two major blues and rock influences: Carlos Santana and Jimi Hendrix. Matle has also mastered the technical secrets of the recording studio, having produced and engineered several of his releases with Landis. These diverse musical modes come together with satisfying results on his album released in 2001, Ears Wide Shut. In addition to his studio work and gigs at major jazz venues, he has appeared regularly at major festivals in the Michigan area including the Detroit Montreux Jazz Festival and the Ann Arbor Blues and Jazz Festival. Matle operates on a schedule of composing, guitar instruction, live performances, and recording and producing in his own studio. ~ Dave Nathan, All Music Guide