Better in Stereo with Matt Sellick
As told to Shannon Lepere and Rebekah Skochinski, Photo by Shannon Lepere
Matt Sellick is a flamenco guitar virtuoso, composer, and performer. How did someone from Thunder Bay discover this passionate and intricate art form? We were lucky to have Sellick join us in the studio at Blueprints while in town for a live concert recording with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. We talk dreams coming true and more.
The Walleye: Where did the idea come about to do the live concert recording with the TBSO?
Matt Sellick: For the last 10 years or so, I’ve been writing orchestral versions of guitar stuff—and by stuff, I mean my own pieces. But I really, really like orchestral music. To be honest, if I tried to remember exactly how it started, I would probably end up making something up because it’s all kind of a blur and it was very, very gradual. I did stuff for the TBSO in my early 20s, and at one point about 10 years ago I wrote an orchestral arrangement of one of my songs and we played that. Over the years I did more of it and then one day the TBSO approached me about doing a recording project at some point. And I thought that would literally be a dream come true.
TW: How does a guy from Thunder Bay get into flamenco?
MS: Lots of reasons. When I was a kid, my parents had Jesse Cook albums that I listened to and then as a teenager I started really trying to learn it because I played classical guitar, but I wanted to play things that weren’t classical music. And then I remember seeing Jesse Cook on YouTube and the sidebar of recommendations had this link to a video from the 70s and there was a good close-up of the guitar player’s right hand. I wanted to know how he was moving his hand like that and I remember overnight being I need to learn how to do this. But it really took a turn when I was busking at the Marina. Around that same time, I had learned to play the guitar parts for Flamenco Caravan because I’d seen them play. So there I am sitting on the corner playing one of those songs and two people walk by and one of them peels off and he goes, “That’s my song you're playing. I’m the drummer.” That’s how I met Jim [Differ] and Susanna [Di Giuseppe]. He’s like, “We’re getting married soon and we’re not sure our guitarist is gonna be able to make it. Do you want to play at our wedding?” So that was the snowball of it becoming this is what I want to do all the time.
TW: If you could dance or sing flamenco as well as you play guitar, which would you rather?
MS: Dance. It’s not that I’m an uncomfortable dancer. I’m a bad dancer. I can’t dance to save my life. But I think if I could, I’d be happy.
TW: How many guitars do you own?
MS: I have two classical guitars, two electrics, and a bass. I’m running out of room.
TW: What’s next for you after this show?
MS: Right after the TBSO recording I will be touring with Jesse. We're going to be in the States for a while—it’s a very quick turnaround. The thing I’m most excited about after this recording is that Jesse’s doing a show at Massey Hall, which I’ve been looking forward to for ages because we’ve played in Toronto but never played at Massey.
TW: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
MS: I make origami turtles and hide one in every venue we play in.
TW: Lake Superior or Lake Ontario?
TW: Lake Superior. When I moved to Toronto, my friend took me to the waterfront and she’s like look how majestic, you can’t see the other side and I’m like that’s cute.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. To hear more, find the expanded interview on our Better in Stereo podcast on Spotify, iHeartRadio, and more.