Matt McDonough is a session drummer. He started with pinao at age seven, but gave it up at age twelve. Two years later, at age fourteen, Matt started playing drums. Around the same time he started playing in Steel bands.

He learned enjoying the grooves of Jamaican reggae and calypso before he learned any sort of rock and funck.



Matt received lessons from Graham Instrall and began to study as many musical styles as possible. At age fifteen Matt became involved in groups that varied from big band to break beat and from hard funk to orchestras. Matt:

"Drum kit became a main focus for me and I then moved onto having lessons with Bob Armstrong aged 17 where I studied amongst other things the Moeller Technique."

At age twenty, Matt McDonough was offered one of ten places in the first year of the Trinity College of Music - Jazz Course. Here he was able to work with many of Britain's major jazz playes. he also played with many groups including The National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Great Britain and Trinity College Big Band. Matt continued with lessons from Bob Armstrong whilst at Trinity.



During his first year at Trinity Matt was asked to play drums for the Canadian band Barrage, which also features Bob Fenske on percussion and mallet. Matt McDonough accepted and toured extensively all over the world between 2000 and 2002. Meanwhile Matt recorded tracks with various artists such as Fransesca Matthews, Stephen Band, Matt Owens, Steve Chadwick and Ed Barnwell.



After a break, Matt joined Barrage again in August 2003 and toured all over the world again. About his musical influences Matt reveils:

"For me there is nothing like sitting right back in the pocket of a groove!! I just can't really say that I listen to any one type of music though, and most musicians will say that. I just want to have as many different influences as I can in order to better my musicality. My favourite drummer? Well, I have many, two of them being Mr Vinnie Coliauta and Steve Gadd..."

Aside from music, Matt likes keeping fit in the gym. He has done martial arts for many years including Ju-Jitsu and Kung Fu, and he particularly enjoys Judo.