Matthew Stevens single "Take Heart" ft. Joel Ross out now!
MATTHEW STEVENS
GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING GUITARIST AND PRODUCER RELEASES NEW SINGLE FROM FORTHCOMING SELF-TITLED ALBUM
MATTHEW STEVENS OUT MAY 8 ON CANDID RECORDS
“TAKE HEART” FT. JOEL ROSS OUT NOW
A RHYTHMIC STANDOUT FROM THE NEW LP, THE ENTRANCING TRACK OFFERS UP SCORCHING INTERPLAY FEATURING VIBRAPHONIST JOEL ROSS
LISTEN HERE | WATCH HERE
ICYMI: MATTHEW STEVENS DISCUSSES NEW ALBUM ON VINTAGE GUITAR MAGAZINE’S “HAVE GUITAR, WILL TRAVEL” PODCAST - LISTEN HERE
March 11, 2026 – Today, GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist and producer Matthew Stevens released the entrancing new single “Take Heart” ft. Joel Ross, from his forthcoming album, Matthew Stevens (out May 8 on Candid Records). Listen to “Take Heart” and pre-order the new album here.
A rhythmic standout from the new LP, “Take Heart” is a mesmerizing track that offers up scorching interplay featuring vibraphonist Joel Ross. Speaking on the single’s inspiration, Matthew Stevens says, “This song comes from the idea that when you have the right people around you, and even the simplest idea with a spark, then real conversation can happen. For me, rhythm and momentum are everything — that undeniable sense of groove, the feeling that something is alive. I don’t think music can truly take flight without that foundation. There’s something grounding about remembering that the simplest things are often the most important ones, and that’s really what this song is about.”
The new single follows the release of the soulful tune “Who Does She Hope To Be?,” which is Stevens’ veritable, drifting take on Sonny Sharrock’s 1991 original, and features eclectic jazz guitarist Jeff Parker and label mate, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington (Stevens recently collaborated with Carrington on her GRAMMY-nominated album We Insist! 2025). Both tracks are excellent previews of what listeners can expect from the new self-titled record.
Long recognized as one of the most thrilling and thoughtful guitarists of his generation, Matthew Stevens has built an elite reputation in music, touring, and recording with a "who’s who" of modern icons, including Esperanza Spalding, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, Harvey Mason, and Walter Smith III. He has also made a splash outside of jazz, having produced the tribute album I Am A Pilgrim - Doc Watson at 100, featuring artists such as Valerie June, Steve Earle, Nora Brown, and Dolly Parton (Stevens produced Parton’s version of “The Last Thing on My Mind,” which earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Solo Performance in 2024). A culmination of 20 years of craft, the eponymous album serves as a mid-career mission statement with Stevens stepping into the spotlight.
Co-produced by Stevens, saxophonist Josh Johnson, and percussionist Eric Doob, the record seamlessly melds acoustic and electric sonics through a mix of genre-blurring originals and deeply personal covers. It features a multigenerational cast of musicians who have had a profound impact on Stevens’ journey, including rising visionaries like vibraphonist Joel Ross and vocalists Anna B Savage and Corey King, in addition to his mentor Terri Lyne Carrington and personal guitar hero Jeff Parker. At the album’s core is a band of his most trusted collaborators, which also includes keyboardist Chris Fishman and bassist Kyle Miles, with additional contributions from percussionist Paulo Stagnaro and guitarists Dylan Day and Rich Hinman on slide and pedal steel.
Matthew Stevens reflects a period of profound personal and artistic change, ultimately bringing him to "a place of optimism, excitement, and confidence" that signals a bold new chapter for one of jazz’s most essential voices and respected players.
MATTHEW STEVENS - TRACKLIST
SIDE A
1. Take Heart
2. Hazy (intro)
3. Hazy
3. SLMS
4. 1000 Times
5. Edgewood
SIDE B
1. Who Does She Hope To Be?
2. Born of Silence
3. Alberta
4. The air is thick
PHOTO CREDIT: GRAHAM TOLBERT
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