Matt Lavelle (b.1970) has been active in New York City music since 1990, shifting his focus downtown in the late 90’s. Lavelle plays trumpet, flugelhorn, bass and alto clarinet and is a composer, and conductor. His journey in music began with Hildred Humphries, a swing era veteran saxophonist who played with Count Basie and Billie Holiday. He has played in ensembles led by Sabir Mateen since 2002. In 2005, Lavelle began study with Ornette Coleman for 2 years. He was a member of the Bern Nix quartet from 2010 until 2017. He was a big part of the return of Giuseppi Logan leading to a recording in 2010. In 2011 he created the 12 Houses Orchestra. As a leader Lavelle has recorded 12 albums, and has been on 40 recordings as a sideman. His solo alto clarinet album is the first one in jazz history. He has performed hundreds of times in New York, and toured Europe 5 times, headlining the Umea festival in Sweden in October 2011, as well as playing in Italy, Germany, Scotland, and Prague. 

Lavelle is also a painter and a writer. His work on Ornette Coleman and Harmolodics has been downloaded more than 4,800 times.

Lavelle has played with Ornette Coleman, William Parker, Bern Nix, Giuseppi Logan, Sabir Mateen, William Hooker, Warren Smith, Henry Grimes, Eric Mingus, Bernard Purdie, Julian Priester, Roy Campbell, Daniel Carter, Jemeel Moondoc, Mat Maneri, Ras Moshe, Hilliard Greene, Steve Swell, Matana Roberts, Charles Downs, and many others.