Unplugged

Unplugged in the MAC Gallery
Matt Richard & Dr. Michael Rocha

Friday, September 13
First Seating: 7:00pm
Second Seating: 8:15pm

Tickets for one seating (approx. 45 minute per set)
$12 MAC members | $15 nonmembers
Limited tickets! 25 people per seating – advanced reservations strongly recommended

Join us upstairs in the MAC’s Patsy Francis Gallery for an evening of unplugged music featuring Matt Richard on piano and Dr. Mike Rocha on trombone!

There will be two separate performances during the night, and each set will last about 45 minutes. Find a spot at a cabaret table to listen to a mix of jazz standards and original compositions by both artists. Guests will enjoy a refreshing setting at this “unplugged” performance featuring mainly acoustic sound, without the volume and density often experienced during larger concerts in the MAC Theater.

NEW

Add on a personal charcuterie box! Bring your own beverage of choice, and enjoy an appetizer box from our local partner Savor the Spread! Just select from the add-on options below the ticket selection. Boxes contain crackers, cheese, fruit, nuts, and cured meats. All snack box orders must be placed by Thursday at 12:00pm (noon) prior to the show on Friday. Choose from the following options:

1-person appetizer box: $16
2-person appetizer box: $23
4-person box: $40

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Matt Richard studied classical piano with Ken Manzer and jazz piano with Dr. Billy Taylor. Workshops and performance master classes included jazz legends Max Roach, Marian McPartland, and Michael Brecker. A native of and current resident of Fairhaven and a graduate of Westfield State College with a degree in piano performance, Matt taught choral music at both Fairhaven High School and at Tabor Academy in Marion from 1988-1997. Matt was a vocal coach and accompanist for the nationally recognized Jazz In July Workshops at UMASS, Amherst from 1985-2006 and he also directed the UMASS/Dartmouth jazz vocal ensemble in 2010/2011.

Matt has performed throughout the New England area for the past forty years as a soloist, an accompanist, and with many different ensembles including jazz vocal legend Sheila Jordan, Dick Johnson and The Artie Shaw Orchestra, Bombay Jim Porcella and The Swingin’ Sapphires, Fred Tillis, Emil Haddad, Lou Columbo, Gray Sargent, Nnena Freelon, Marshall Wood, Bruce Gertz, Dave Zinno, Greg Hopkins, Jim Robitaille, Lisa Thorson, Semenya McCord, and Marcelle Gauvin. Matt played solo piano at The Roadhouse Cafe in Hyannis, Massachusetts from 1997-2008 as well as joining with Lou Colombo and Dick Johnson on the famous Monday Night Jazz Series beginning in 2002.

Matt’s self-produced recording projects  began in 199 with “Hawthorne Street Connection” featuring Jim Robitaille, Chris Poudrier, Mark Holovnia, Dave Zinno, and Marshall Wood.   Additional recording projects include: a piano/guitar duo CD, “The Art of the Duo”, with Robitaille, a supporting role on Robitaille’s CD, “To Music”, which features saxophonist Dave Liebman, a solo jazz piano recording, “Talking To Myself”, “OFF SEASON” with Gary Johnson and Zinno, “In The Sky”, a collection of original duets with the late saxophonist Rick Britto, “The Music of Rick Britto” (a tribute) with Dino Govoni, Marcelle Gauvin, Danny Schwartz, Robitaille, Poiudrier, and Zinno, “The Jazz Club” with Greg Conroy and Jerry Wilfong, classical projects “Winter Peace”, “Christmas Love”, and “The Lone Wild Bird”, and recently,  “All The Colors” with Bryan Steele,, Phil Sanborn, Mike Rocha, Poudrier and Zinno in 2023.

Dr. Michael Rocha grew up in New Bedford, MA and started his musical journey through the music program at New Bedford Public School learning to play trombone. He studied trombone with Jack Martin and Kenny Wenzel. His first musical gigs were in his teens with the Portuguese American Band led by the late Ed Rodrigues, the Tri-County Symphonic Band, and his own Fanfare Brass. He also started performing during high school with the Meadowlarks Big Band and John Salerno Big Band throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

When applying for medical school, he was told that he wouldn’t have time to play trombone. That wasn’t an option and while in Worcester, he performed regularly with the Worcester Jazz Orchestra. Since moving back to New Bedford in 2008 to practice cardiology, he has been active with the Southcoast Jazz Orchestra (SJO), the regions’ own 17 piece big band led by Bob Williamson. The SJO brought jazz back to the iconic Gilda’s Stone Rooster in 2011. His love of New Orleans jazz, funk, and blues music inspired the 7 piece Southcoast Brass Band (SCBB) in 2017 that has also been in residency at Gilda’s. Since that time, the SCBB has played all over the region for private events, club dates, and has been featured at the New Bedford Jazzfest and the Narrows Center for the Arts.

He has been featured at Martini’s Tuesday Jazz in Plymouth with jazz legends Gray Sargent, Marshall Wood, Gary Johnson, Matt Richard, Todd Baker, and Arnie Krakowsky. He performed at the 39th Annual Jazz Service at the Unitarian Church in New Bedford. He has recorded on Matt Richard’s albums Winter Peace and All the Colors.

Michael has also performed in various musical settings throughout the region with the Fat City Band, Entrain, Boston Common Band, Buttonwood Brass, Get the Funk Out, Stage Door Canteen, Jorge Ferreira, the Meadowlarks, and Steve Smith and the Naked Truths.

Additional Information
Accessibility: There are three small steps plus a raised threshold to enter the Marion Art Center. This event is located in the second floor gallery space, which can only be accessed by a stairway.
Audience: Performances are recommended for a general audience.