WPVM FM 103.7

Gracefully tall with a boyish facial expression Sebastian Mathews strolled into the WPVM studio on a mild winter’s day in late January. Had you been there, you would have never guessed Sebastian had spent years in physical therapy recovering from a head-on collision that nearly killed him and his wife. 

We soon discovered that Sebastian’s close brush with death and his long recovery had deepened his appreciation for life, his affection for poetry and jazz, and his abiding love for our Asheville community. Is it any wonder that Sebastian show, Jazz on a Summer’s Day, has become one of our most listened to programs?

Sebastian is the second son of the award-winning poet and jazz aficionado William Matthews who famously said, “I would like to tell you that one of the primary reasons for being alive is to experience the pleasure of being alive.” Sadly, Sebastian’s father passed away from a heart attack on November 12, 1997, the day after his fifty-fifth birthday.  Fortunately, Sebastian inherited his father’s love of jazz and his eclectic collection of the best of jazz recordings, which spans decades.

Sebastian’s passion for poetry and knowledge of jazz has its roots in his childhood growing up with his father in the thriving artist scene of the late 70s and early 80s Seattle. He later visited his father in New York City, who introduced him to that groundbreaking time of poetry, music, theater, and visual arts.

Sebastian shares his precious collection of jazz on his weekly show “Jazz On A Summer’s Day” aired live on Tuesdays 3:00 – 5:00 pm and encored later in the week. Beside his music collection Sebastian interviews Asheville-area guests on the show, including area artists, writers, teachers, activists and musicians — to share music and talk about recent projects.

Read about Sebastian Matthews impressive teaching and writing experiences on this link.  His books include In My Father’s Footsteps (memoir),  We Generous (poetry), Miracle Day (poetry) and Beginner’s Guide to a Head-on Collision (hybrid), and coming in August, Beyond Repair: Living in a Fractured State