Shutterdog’s debut single,The Felling, is a surprising blend of songwriting and Eastern instruments. Led by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Matt Nobile, The Felling is a story of transformation written from the perspective of a mighty New York oak tree forced to shed its leaves through the changing seasons.

Matt Nobile grew up in the Hudson Valley region of New York but his musical interests have expanded far beyond those borders. Originally a trombone and bass player, Nobile studied Jazz Performance at SUNY New Paltz. With that experience, he began to explore the NYC Arabic music scene, studying both oud and nai (Arabic flute) with Bassam Saba. Nobile is also a regular attendee of America’s premier Arabic music program: the Arabic Music Retreat in Holyoke, MA headed by Simon Shaheen.

With Shutterdog, Nobile introduces a new project showcasing his varied experience. Stepping out on his own, Nobile aims to introduce US audiences to a diversity of music. By using aspects of Arabic, Afro-Cuban, and Indian music in a western songwriting context, Shutterdog provides a crucial first step for listeners to begin exploring other cultures. Nobile is a recurring staple at beloved venues in the New York markets. Bringing his vibrant music to settings like Levon Helm Studios, The Falcon, and O+ Festival in Upstate, NY as well as Old Rock Deli in Manhattan and the AP Cafe in Brooklyn. In addition to his own music, Nobile frequently partners with the Turkish dance band Sekanjabin as well as tabla and bansuri player Eric Archer. Previously, Nobile also served as the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for the world music band Datura Road from 2015 to 2020. The band’s diverse repertoire meant often switching between the guitar, oud, and penny-whistle within a single set of music. Work with Datura Road involved co-producing the band’s debut self-titled album and their follow up EP Elephant’s Dream with engineer and musician Julie Last (Ricki Lee Jones, Shawn Colvin, Joni Mitchell).