SCRIBBLINGS, Matthew's first solo release, was inspired by his experiences surviving and recovering from a diagnosis of brain cancer in 1996. His dominant left hand rendered useless due to the neurological impact of his tumor, Matthew was forced to only think and dream about music, occasionally writing ideas down with his opposite hand—translating his emotions, his hopes and his deepest fears into indecipherable scribbles of music.
Three years later, Matthew achieved a full recovery and had retrained his left hand to the point where could revisit and develop his 'scribbles' into complete works. In 1999 the album Scribblings was born and released to unprecedented critical acclaim, accolade and clinical endorsement. Music originally composed during the darkest hours of one young man's life, conceived through misery, suffering and pain and emoted under the duress of a life-altering tragedy, is now a beacon of light, hope, courage and inspiration to tens of thousands within and outside of the cancer community.
A beautiful and often moving collection, Scribblings is a must for any music lover's library and a testament to the power of music as a transformative force.
Where Scribblings translated Matthew's miraculous recovery from brain cancer into music, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY creatively represents another triumph over illness, with passionate compositions that cover a diversified range of human emotions—from contemplation, sorrow and pain to playfulness, innocence and joy.
Originally envisioned as a companion to Scribblings, the 11 acoustic piano compositions featured on this album were influenced by Matthew's continuing journey while he survived and recovered from his illness. Many tracks were derived from some of his unused and leftover musical scribbles from his days as a cancer patient and several others were composed specifically to commemorate the celebration of his 5-year anniversary in remission.
Additionally, this album was a celebration to the fact that, after more than 5 years of rigorous re-training, technical proficiency in his left hand had finally exceeded the level it was at prior to his diagnosis of brain cancer. The overall texture and theme of this album showcase a direct reflection of this extraordinary achievement.
BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN was commissioned for development by The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention's division of Cancer Control as a promotional piece for the 2006 World Cancer Congress held at the Washington DC Convention Center in Washington DC. The album, which raises awareness about cancer survivorship, specifically, the doctor patient relationship, was distributed with wide acclaim to more than 1,500 world leaders in public health, cancer advocacy and patient education.
This first-of-its-kind compilation features 18 original piano solos composed from two perspectives by recording artists Dr. Adam Dachman and Matthew Zachary, a surgical oncologist and young adult cancer survivor, respectively. 100% of all proceeds from the sale of this album benefit Steps For Living, a nonprofit advocacy organization founded by Matthew Zachary.
Currently in production, ABSOLVING DESTINY, Matthew's third official album, will complete a trilogy of passionate determination, marking the celebration of a 10-year journey through music, art and personal recovery. By staying connected to that which had meaning in his life, Matthew has absolved destiny from fulfilling his fate, leading him to a spiritual and emotional pinnacle of personal reflection.
Many of the tracks on the album are being composed in special tribute to those very close to Matthew whose lives have been lost to cancer. These songs will honor his fallen Aunt Evie ("Mets Fan"), who passed away from complications due to melanoma in May of 2001, as well as his 19 year old brother-in-law, Karl Feldman ("10 Lives"), who lost his battle with Ewing's Sarcoma in November of 2003. "Rediscovery", Matthew's tribute song to his wife, will also be featured on the album in celebration of their recent marriage.