On The Present Edge this week, Katherine Peterson welcomed musician Matt Sage for a conversation about his musical inspirations, recent listening picks, and his upcoming album Tender / Wading, set for release in September. Sage shared tracks from artists including Rachel’s, Kronos Quartet, Anna Phoebe, Sean McCann, and Clarice Jensen, offering insight into their music and creative worlds. He also discussed the themes behind his new single “Tender of Land,” reflecting on homecoming, personal growth, and his life as a parent, gardener, and musician. (Interview: 8/11/25)
Katherine Peterson: You’re still tuned into The Present Edge here on KGNU. If you were with us at the start of that set, we started with Rachel’s — those were some picks by my guest, Matt Sage. We heard “New York,” “Snow Globe,” and “Four or Five Trees.” Following that, we heard a new release from Vanessa Tomlinson.
She has a new album on the Room 40 label. We heard the track “Speculative Ornithology.” The album’s called The Edges of Place and features percussion with lots of found objects.
Matt Sage: The Edges of Place — yeah, such a good album title.
Katherine Peterson: Edge Is a Place.
Matt Sage: Edge Is a Place.
Katherine Peterson: The Edges of Place is also good.
Yeah. And then I think after that was the Kronos Quartet track you brought.
Matt Sage: It’s Kronos Quartet Plays the Music of Bill Evans. That was “Peace Piece,” one of my favorite Bill Evans songs. I love how it’s built around this modal two-step thing. I could listen to Kronos Quartet play that part for an hour.
The solo is incredible too.
Katherine Peterson: Yeah. Yeah.
Matt Sage: It’s great.
Katherine Peterson: And then after that, we heard violinist Anna Phoebe playing with Jake Downs. Clara Schumann and Trans Voices is the singer. That track was called “By the Sea.” And the one you just heard was by Sean McCann.
Matt Sage: Sean McCann — which we talked about earlier.
He runs the label Recital Program.
Katherine Peterson: And I also just learned he’s the husband of Sarah Davachi. Everything’s connected.
Matt Sage: He put out the Cassia Lytton record that we listened to.
Katherine Peterson: Yeah.
Matt Sage: And that was a song called “Nightfall” off of an album called Puck, which has one of my favorite album covers — maybe ever. Top ten favorite album covers.
Katherine Peterson: Want to describe it for the listener?
Matt Sage: It’s a giant wooden mallet that’s seen a lot — it’s an aged wooden mallet. And then there’s a brown egg inside a very light gray porcelain egg cup on a dark background. It looks like the mallet is about to smash the egg, but it’s not quite there yet.
In very small letters, it says “Sean McCann — Puck.” I love Sean’s music, but when I saw the cover, I was like, “He’s really on one with the album cover here.” It’s very good.
Katherine Peterson: Yeah. And now, this next track, we’re gonna hear a bit of Matt’s music.
He has a new album coming out.
Matt Sage: I do have a new album coming out. It’s called Tender Waiting, and it comes out in September. This is the first single, and it’s called “Tender of Land.” It’s music about building a new home and finding yourself in a new place — but also that place is an old place.
Coming home and realizing you’re different, but home is also different. It’s also about my journey as a parent, a gardener, and a musician.
Katherine Peterson: And then you said there’s a single being released every month from the album?
Matt Sage: Yeah. So, the first single came out last month, and then we did a new version of that single, which is Patrick’s version of “Tender of Land,” which I think is also…
Katherine Peterson: Patrick?
Matt Sage: Shiroishi. Yeah. And he plays saxophone in Fubu Sushi, which is the jazz group that I’m in. “Jazz” maybe is a loose term for what we do — I think we’re a jazz band, but yeah. Then there’s gonna be another single in a couple of weeks, and there’ll be a last single that comes out with the record in September. Yep — the long rollout process of putting out a record these days.
Katherine Peterson: Yeah, I’m excited to hear it. So we’re gonna hear this song by Matt in just a second. We’re also going to hear a track by Clarice Jensen, who’s coming to Denver with Suzanne…
Matt Sage: Incredible.
Katherine Peterson: …November 13th.
Matt Sage: What a bill.
Katherine Peterson: We’re excited for that show.
Matt Sage: It’s at the church too, right? The Presbyterian church. It’s a beautiful venue. I saw Suzanne Ciani there last time she played in Denver, and it was amazing.
Katherine Peterson: Yeah. We’ve got just a couple tracks left for you. Thank you so much for tuning in. Thank you for supporting community radio. And thank you to Matt for being my guest tonight.
Matt Sage: Thank you for having me, Katherine.
Katherine Peterson: All right, so here is “Tender of Land” by Matt Sage.
