Matt Lintula
Matt Lintula, trumpet player for the Truth in Jazz Orchestra, is one of the founding members of the group.
His interest in trumpet was influenced by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and by Al Hirt. High school band gave him his first opportunity to play the music he liked so much and when his band teacher started a jazz band, jazz performance became a motivator to learn and grow as a musician.
In more recent years, Matt has studied on two occasions with the Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band from Los Angeles. He went for a week at a time, working with top pros on technique and musical excellence. He also studied with Lynn Asper and Gregg Good in Grand Rapids.
In addition to the WMCW, Matt performs with the Truth In Jazz Orchestra, Lakeshore Big Band, Big Band Nouveau, the Tom Allport Band, as well as his own Starry Night Octet and Quartet. He has learned to play numerous instruments, but is proficient in trumpet, saxophone, and clarinet.
Music performance is a both a challenge and a joy for Matt. “Improvisation is something I can’t explain. The brain just composes on the fly.” And, all in all, he admits he likes the intellectual challenge of performance and improvising.
But performance isn’t just about solos. Matt enjoys the ensemble work as well. “It’s hard to explain the feeling you get when the group is playing tight and all the pieces come together.,” he says. “And it’s fun when the audience shows how much they enjoy it.”
Matt holds three Bachelors degrees: One in biology, one in chemical engineering, and one in electrical engineering, and was employed by several local companies over the years as an electrical engineer. Matt and his wife, also a WMCW musician, live in Norton Shores and, over the years have had 25 exchange students share their home. Nearly all have played with the WMCW during their stay. Mihiro Tanaka is one of our current students. Additionally, they welcome foreign students from time to time who are visiting the area. “We do it for enjoyment,” Matt says, but also to help the students to understand what the United States is – it’s not just what they see in the news.