It’s past eleven when you walk into the bar. You’re looking for a nightcap, maybe some sophisticated conversation, but all you see is the haze of cigarette smoke. You order a whiskey, neat. It’s late by the time a young man takes the stage and grabs the microphone with the careless confidence of a seasoned performer.

You can’t quite see through the smoke. It could be Sinatra. It could be Tony Bennett. Or could it be that new one, Michael Buble? All you know is that when he reaches his first note, the message is smooth, heartbreaking and beautiful all at once. From heartfelt ballads to upbeat jazz standards, this cat knows how to perform.

And just when you think it’s all about swing, he’ll change the pace and lead the orchestra into an old-fashioned samba.

Timeless, classy and charming as hell. This is Daniel Matto.

No cheap imitations of singers past. No awkward pauses or out-of-date gags. Daniel effortlessly lives the smooth and smokin’ swing of the forties and fifties, with pure melodies to make a woman shiver, vocals to die for and a feel for jazz that most musicians can only dream of. As for the audience, they’re too busy dancing and romancing to have a worry in the world.

Daniel began his musical training as a trombone player in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia. For seven years, he performed and toured throughout Australia, Sweden and Finland in big bands and other ensembles. Daniel then realized his true musical passion was singing and went on to study voice at the Australian Conservatory of Music in Sydney.

As a jazz vocalist, Daniel had the opportunity to perform and mentor with some of Australia’s top jazz musicians including Joy Yates, Catie Halliday, Dave MacRae and Adrian Whitehead before embarking on his solo career. He then showcased his unique brand of swinging entertainment throughout Australia and New Zealand, receiving stunning reviews at numerous world-class events including the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, the Manly Jazz Festival and the Tarunga Jazz Festival, being dubbed “Adelaide’s very own Frank Sinatra...a promising young crooner” (The Adelaide Advertiser, 2001). Daniel has also had the honour of performing for the Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mary of Denmark at the 2005 Red Cross Royal Performance Gala.

In 2006, Daniel made his North American debut with several performances throughout Nova Scotia. He returned to Canada in the summer of 2007 and made Halifax his Canadian hometown. In his brief time in Canada, Daniel has made his mark on the Canadian jazz scene with regular shows at some of Atlantic Canada’s finest jazz venues. Daniel also performed as the soloist with Symphony Nova Scotia in ‘A Salute to Ol’ Blue Eyes’ in their 2008/2009 season with sold out shows across the province.

Stay tuned, the best is yet to come…