Matt Benson is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and natural storyteller from Rostrevor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, who has spent much of the last decade living the kind of musical life most people only write songs about, all while maintaining an enduring sense of humour.

After almost eight years touring the world as a trombonist with George Ezra, Matt stepped from the side of the stage into the spotlight with his debut solo album, Sit Back Down Again. His travels with Ezra took him to some of the world’s biggest stages, including Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, the Royal Albert Hall and the Brit Awards, but Matt’s musical story began long before that.

From working in a fire-bombed Belfast music shop to countless smoky bars and clubs, his career has taken him through New Orleans grooves with virtuoso pianist Dom Pipkin and The Ikos, tours with ska legends Bad Manners and appearances alongside the likes of The Pogues and Amelia Warner. Years spent playing, travelling and collecting stories have inevitably found their way into his own music.

Released in 2025, Sit Back Down Again is a soul-drenched debut steeped in vintage R&B, New Orleans brass and cinematic storytelling. The album has surpassed 150,000 streams on Spotify, featured on Spotify’s Jazz UK playlist, attracted five-star reviews and helped Matt sell out Whelan’s in Dublin on his first solo tour. George Ezra has described Matt’s work as “unrivalled in its charisma and charm.”

The songs themselves inhabit a colourful world of grief, growth, barroom romances and the occasional supernatural character, delivered through warm horns, a distinctive weathered voice and honest songwriting. There are echoes of Randy Newman, Van Morrison, Chris Stapleton and Dr. John, shaped by Matt’s love of New Orleans music and his own unmistakably Northern Irish character.

Live, Matt moves between piano, voice and trombone, drawing audiences into the songs with warmth, wit and an enduring sense of humour. Part songwriter, part raconteur and consummate musician, his shows blur the line between concert and storytelling, bringing together the experiences of a life spent making music with the excitement of an artist finally telling his own story.