Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on February 14, 2026
Photo: Graham Tolbert
GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist and producer Matthew Stevens released the soulful new single “Who Does She Hope To Be?” and announced his forthcoming self-titled album, Matthew Stevens, due May 8 via Candid Records.
The new track is Stevens’ drifting take on Sonny Sharrock’s 1991 original and features guitarist Jeff Parker and drummer Terri Lyne Carrington (Stevens recently collaborated with Carrington on her GRAMMY-nominated album We Insist! 2025). Stevens first discovered Sharrock’s Ask the Ages while playing the song with ERIMAJ, led by Jamire Williams.
“I immediately connected with the songs, the playing, and Bill Laswell’s production,” Stevens shares. “There’s something about this piece that always helps me find myself quickly when I play it, and I’d been excited for a long time to eventually record it.”
Expanding on the recording, Stevens adds, “On the original, Sonny layers a lot of guitars, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to have Jeff join me. I’ve always admired the breadth of his musicianship. Terri Lyne’s playing on this track is just as special to me. So few people play in a way that feels so directly connected to the originators of this music.”
Jeff Parker echoes, “‘Ask The Ages’ by Sonny Sharrock is an album that has been very important to me because of its open conception and gripping compositions. Naturally, when Matt asked me to join him, I jumped at the chance.”
Terri Lyne Carrington adds, “Music is energy, which can be healing and can change the world positively. ‘Who Does She Hope To Be?’ soothes the soul and reminds us of the importance of hope. It was a thrill to play with these two guitar titans.”
Long recognized as one of the most thoughtful guitarists of his generation, Stevens has toured and recorded with Esperanza Spalding, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, Harvey Mason, and Walter Smith III. Beyond jazz, he produced I Am A Pilgrim – Doc Watson at 100, featuring Valerie June, Steve Earle, Nora Brown, and Dolly Parton. Parton’s version of “The Last Thing on My Mind,” produced by Stevens, earned a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Solo Performance in 2024.
Co-produced by Stevens, Josh Johnson, and Eric Doob, Matthew Stevens blends acoustic and electric sonics through genre-blurring originals and personal covers. The album features Joel Ross, Anna B Savage, Corey King, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jeff Parker, Chris Fishman, Kyle Miles, Paulo Stagnaro, Dylan Day, and Rich Hinman.
Matthew Stevens reflects a period of profound personal and artistic change, ultimately bringing him to “a place of optimism, excitement, and confidence” that signals a bold new chapter for one of jazz’s most essential voices.
SIDE A
1. Take Heart
2. Hazy (intro)
3. Hazy
4. SLMS
5. 1000 Times
6. Edgewood
SIDE B
1. Who Does She Hope To Be?
2. Born of Silence
3. Alberta
4. The air is thick
FOLLOW:
mattstevensmusic.com
