Interview with The Sugar Snap’s Matt Callaway
Matt Callaway, shown with Chrystal Belle, talks about his music, The Sugar Snaps and growing up in Manchester in this interview with Riverfolk’s Aileen Rohwer. Photo from Eventbrite.
The Sugar Snaps, a Detroit, vintage jazz duo will be playing live at The Blacksmith Shop on Saturday, February 27, 2016 at 7:30pm. Matt Callaway, who along with Chrystal Belle makes up The Sugar Snaps, is a former Manchester resident. Aileen Rohwer, Director of Manchester’s Cultural Art Strings and member of the Riverfolk Music and Arts Board interviewed Matt about The Sugar Snaps, his music and his memories of Manchester:
“Besides playing for The Sugar Snaps, what fills up your day?”
“Typically I practice as much as I can everyday. I perform regularly in several other bands. I also play every Sunday at church and perform solo jazz guitar at the Whitney in Detroit. I spend the majority of my time learning music for these gigs, I also try to grow as a musician and artist with my practice as well. I have to divide my practice into segments. I view this similar to a the way a student would view their classes.”
“How did you get into playing/performing?”
“I was a band student of Jared Throneberry from middle school though high school. I think just having that as part of my everyday life impacted me, kind of setting a foundation. As I approached high school age, I decided to learn guitar. Simultaneously I discovered much of my parents record collection. I was always inspired by the different sounds I was hearing. From there I taught myself as much as I could and eventually took lessons with Nolan Wescott for a few months.”
“How long have you been playing on your own and as The Sugar Snaps?”
“I’ve been playing for 17 years now, The Sugar Snaps have been together for 5 years.”
“How have The Sugar Snaps evolved over time?”
“Chrystal and I first spent a lot of time learning different tunes and how to work together. After the chemistry developed a bit it became much easier to get into the flow of a show. Sometimes we have an idea of how a song my be structured, but then I may improvise a different ending or something. It’s almost like a game that Chrystal and I play. It’s makes things fun and spontaneous. Those things can only develop over time, to me that’s kind of the magic of music.”
“Where do you hope your performing career will take you into the future?”
“Ultimately I want to play music that makes me feel vibrant with people that I enjoy spending my time with. I enjoy the different places that I work from. I also really like to see the joy that people get from music. I hope that my career includes all of these things, but with the ability to touch more people’s lives.”
“What do you remember most about living in Manchester?”
“I’ve always loved the great sense of community. People are generally very kind, not all places are like that.”
“Is there one individual that you could recall that influenced or mentored your decision to pursue performing?”
“I really owe a lot of people for mentoring me. Mark and Carol Palms have mentored me in many ways, I can’t thank them enough. When I was 18 I had a conversation on a sidewalk in Boston with a Berklee School of Music professor. He made me realize that I wanted to perform and that it was possible. That one brief conversation greatly influenced me.”
“What do you miss and don’t [you] miss about Manchester?”
“I miss being around nature the most, and of course friends and family. I don’t miss everything closing by 10, maybe that’s changed. At the same time those are also the type of things you miss about Manchester.”
“How do you feel about the upcoming performance?”
“Chrystal and I are both pretty excited, – I’m glad that the Blacksmith [Shop] is open again!”
“Where else can we find you or The Sugar Snaps performing?”
“We’ve been invited to play a lot of really cool exclusive events lately such as the NFL’s recent opening reception for their Gridiron Glory 50th Year Anniversary exhibit at the Henry Ford Museum and have a great relationship with folks at the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau. Now, The Sugar Snaps mostly play private and corporate events (weddings, home dinner parties, wine and spirit tastings, Prohibition / Gatsby-themed parties, etc), but we’re also requested to perform at local community festivals & classic car shows during the Summer months.”
Click HERE to watch The Sugar Snaps perform.
Join Matt and Chrystal for an evening of romance and charm on Feb. 27. Tecumseh’s Evan’s Street Station will provide a sampling menu to top off your evening. This event is adult only. Reservations are recommended. Tickets are $45 for an adult couple ticket or $25 for adult single ticket. Click HERE for more information or to purchase tickets.
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