About

Welcome to my website

Matt Senjem playing upright bass at the Dakota — At the Dakota

Hello, thanks for stopping by! I love playing upright and electric bass, and I am fortunate to be able to perform with some of Minnesota's most talented and hard working musicians and bands. My current projects include working with East Side Trio, Parisota Hot Club, Tom Hunter Band, and Vic Volare and his Fabulous Lounge Orchestra.

My Musical Journey

Music has been a part of my life since I was a child. I grew up in Rochester, Minnesota, started playing the trombone when I was 12 years old, and have been hooked on music ever since. I picked up guitar and electric bass in high school, then moved to the Twin Cities to attend the University of Minnesota, where I took up upright bass, studied jazz, and started performing out regularly. I have played in various bands and ensembles over the years ranging from small jazz/acoustic groups, to swing and cover bands, and classic jazz big bands. I also have functioned as band leader, DJ, MC, sound engineer and music coordinator for weddings, private parties and events of all sizes.

Along the way, one of my favorite projects was Headspace, a Fender Rhodes trio founded by my friend Rob Dewey, with Zach Michels on drums — Rob's original tunes, plus covers in the spirit of the Headhunters and Medeski Martin & Wood.

My Musical Style

I specialize in providing the foundational groove that is the bass line, in music of any genre, especially jazz, blues, rock, Latin, Brazilian, and other popular music. My approach to music is inspired by bass legends such as Ron Carter, Jaco Pastorius, Victor Wooten, and James Genus. I love collaborating with other musicians to create a groove, first and foremost, as the groove provides the foundation for creativity in soloing, as well as connection with the audience.

My Collaborations

My longest-running collaboration is with guitarist Reynold Philipsek. We anchor East Side Trio together, play duo dates, and I hold down the bass on many of the gigs he books under his own name. East Side began as a quartet with Clint Hoover on harmonica — and now that Clint is back in town after sixteen years in Pittsburgh, you may see him joining us again.

I also play upright bass with Robb Henry & Parisota Trio, the Tom Hunter Blues Band, and Vic Volare and his Lounge Orchestra, and have recently done some stints on upright with the legendary Cornbread Harris and his band. I'm in the bass rotation for Dean Harrington's Mill City Hot Club and for Deano and the Dinosaurs 🦕, joining each for a handful of gigs a year. On electric bass, I work occasionally with Natania & Ticket to Brasil and their band leader Pavel Jany, and run live sound for the band.

Beyond the Bass

Through Matt Senjem Music, LLC, I DJ, run live sound, and coordinate music for weddings and private events. I also contract with other Twin Cities event companies — on bass, sound, or DJ duties — for weddings and private parties. And the trombone that started it all still gets out: most years I march in the May Day parade with Your Community Band — a band that exists for exactly that one parade, led by fellow trombonist Steve Sandberg — and every December I pick up the sousaphone or baritone for TubaChristmas.