Matthew Charles Heulitt

Bio

Recently transplanted from the San Francisco Bay Area to Pittsburgh PA in 2022, Matthew Charles Heulitt has been a free-lance guitarist for over 25 years: touring, recording, teaching, and leading bands.

After graduating from the Interlochen Arts Academy high school and receiving an undergraduate degree in studio music and jazz guitar from the University of Miami in 1997 he moved out to the San Francisco bay area to pursue a full-time music career. In addition to enjoying a mediterranean climate and diet, mountain biking, cats, yoga, and gardening, he found himself a lucrative career as a local guitarist for hire in projects ranging from hip-hop, ska, gospel, r&b, afrobeat, jazz fusion, pop, and heavy metal.

From 2000-2015 MCH worked with legendary New Orleans funk drummer Zigaboo Modeliste: playing shows, giving production support, and eating Zig’s homemade red beans and rice.

Then in 2008, while playing jazz standards in a small cafe in Sausalito he met legendary fusion drummer and grammy award winning producer Narada Michael Walden (Jeff Beck, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report) who introduced himself by saying “you’re my new guitar player”. Keeping his promise, Narada hired Matthew for all studio work (countless albums), tours, and local shows for the next 13 years. They co-wrote a rock/blues record called Thunder, but most of all MCH enjoyed playing his favorite Jeff Beck and Mahavishnu Orchestra songs with Narada.

Also around this time MCH joined a progressive pop band called MoeTar signed by Shrapnel Records guru Mike Varney who had taken notice of MCH’s unique guitar voice. After their 2nd release Guitar Player Magazine also took notice and wrote a feature article about his contributions to the band in 2015. Writer Matt Blackett said “Heulitt represents a scarce breed of guitarist these days: He can play complicated fusion and straight-ahead rock. He can navigate incredibly difficult single-note lines - both by ear and reading them off a chart - and still possess soulful bluesy bends and killer vibrato. He can get a big rock tone without coming off like a big rock dude…“.

MCH has had the honor to play or record with: Sting, Carlos Santana, Mickey Hart, Bob Weir, David Hidalgo, Taj Mahal, T.M. Stevens, Sammy Hagar, Ronnie Spector, Dionne Warwick, Jerry Harrison, Mary Wilson, Maria Muldaur, Marylin McCoo, Billy Davis Jr., Keb Mo, Vusi Mahlasela, Clarence Clemmons, Lisa Fisher, Shanice Wilson, Tevin Campbell, Bill Champlin, Alex Skolnick, Earl Klugh, David Grisman, Steve Kimock, Ivan Neville, Cyril Neville, Joan Baez, Neal Schon, Tom Johnston, Michael Lee Firkins, Masayoshi Takanaka, Keiko Matsui, Marcus Miller, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Babko, Jimmy Earl, Lester Chambers, Cindy Blackman, John Secada, Rachael Bay Jones, Jennifer Holliday, and Nicole Henry.

Since moving to Pittsburgh in late 2022 MCH has been playing jazz fusion with Tony Grey (Hiromi, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock) and drummer David Throckmorton (Maynard Ferguson, Chris Potter, Dave Fiuczynski), experimental improv with Adam Kantz, and rock with singer-songwriter Jeff Taylor (Donny McCaslin, Mark Guiliana, Dave Matthews).