David Matthews (born March 4, 1942) is an American keyboardist, pianist, and music arranger.[ Allmusic]
Early life and education Matthews was born David Richard Matthews in Sonora, Kentucky. He earned a bachelor's degree in composition from the University of Cincinnati.
Career Matthews has composed television soundtracks as well as albums with the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra. He is the leader of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet. Matthews was also the leader of the musical group The Grodeck Whipperjenny, a psychedelic funkband in the seventies.
In 1970, he began working as both an arranger and bandleader for James Brown. Matthews has worked with various musicians, including Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Rich, Idris Muhammad, and the Starland Vocal Band. He was staff arranger for Creed Taylor's CTI Records label during the mid-1970s, working on albums for artists such as George Benson, Esther Phillips, Grover Washington Jr., Hank Crawford, and Idris Muhammad.
In 1977, he became one of the first artists to dedicate an entire composition to Frank Herbert's Dune, publishing an album that went by the same name.
In 1978, Matthews arranged strings and orchestra and played piano on Nina Simone's album Baltimore.
Matthews music has been heavily sampled by many hip-hop artists such as The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, MF Doom, Method Man, Redman and Large Professor and others.
Discography As leader
The Grodeck Whipperjenny, People – rec. 1970 Big Band Recorded at the Five Spot (Muse, 1975) Shoogie Wanna Boogie with Whirlwind (Kudu, 1976) Dune (CTI, 1977) Digital Love (Electric Bird, 1979) Cosmic City with the Electric Birds (King, 1980) Grand Cross (Bellaphon, 1983) Delta Lady (Electric Bird, 1983) Super Funky Sax (Electric Bird, 1984) Billy Boy (King/Paddle Wheel, 1986) Waltz for Debby (Paddle Wheel, 1987) Speed Demon with the First Calls (Electric Bird, 1989) Tennessee Waltz (Paddle Wheel, 1989) Jazz Ballads with Strings (Sweet Basil, 1991) Watermelon Man with the Super Latin Jazz Orchestra (Sweet Basil, 1997) Furuhata Jazz in N.Y. (WEA, 1997) Mambo No. 5 (Sweet Basil, 1998) Back to Bach (Milestone, 2000) The Girl from Ipanema with N.Y. Friends (Videoarts Music, 2002) – rec. 2001 Impressions with N.Y. Friends (Videoarts Music, 2002) – rec. 2001 Hey Duke! with the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra (Milestone, 2002) – rec. 1999
Appears on James Brown, Sho' Is Funky Down Here, (King, 1971) James Brown, "I Cried/World Pt. 2", (Starday King, 1971)[7"] Vicki Anderson, "I'll Work It Out/In the Land of Milk and Honey", (Brownstone, 1971)[7"] James Brown, "I Got a Bag of My Own", (Polydor, 1972)[7"] Lyn Collins, Think (About It), (People, 1972) James Brown, "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", (Polydor, 1973)[7"]
Production With Patti Austin End of a Rainbow (CTI, 1976) - Arranger
With George Benson In Concert-Carnegie Hall (CTI, 1975) - Arranger Good King Bad (CTI, 1975) - Arranger Benson & Farrell with Joe Farrell (CTI, 1976) - Arranger
With Ron Carter Anything Goes (Kudu, 1975) - Arranger
With Hank Crawford I Hear a Symphony (Kudu, 1975) - Composer and Arranger Hank Crawford's Back (Kudu, 1976) - Composer and Arranger
With Art Farmer Something You Got (CTI, 1977) - Arranger & Piano Big Blues with Jim Hall (CTI, 1978) - Arranger
With Grant Green The Main Attraction (Kudu, 1976) - Arranger
With Urbie Green The Fox (CTI, 1976) - Arranger Señor Blues (CTI, 1977) - Arranger & Piano
With Jim Hall Concierto de Aranjuez (Evidence, 1981) - Composer, Arranger, Electric Piano
With Yusef Lateef Autophysiopsychic (CTI, 1977) - Arranger
With O'Donel Levy Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky (Groove Merchant, 1974) - Arranger
With Blue Mitchell Many Shades of Blue (Mainstream, 1974) - Composer, Arranger and Conductor
With Idris Muhammad House Of The Rising Sun (Kudu, 1975) Turn This Mutha Out (Kudu, 1977) Boogie to the Top (Kudu, 1978)
With Mark Murphy Bridging a Gap (Muse, 1973) Mark II (Muse, 1974) Mark Murphy Sings (Muse, 1975) The Artistry of Mark Murphy (Muse, 1982)
With Nina Simone Baltimore (CTI, 1978) - Arranger & Piano
With Super Trombone (Dave Bargeron, David Taylor, James E. Pugh and Ray Anderson) Super Trombone (Sweet Basil, 1995)
With Jeremy Steig Firefly (CTI, 1977) - Arranger & Piano
References
External links
Interviews James Brown Arranger David Matthews Lecture (Rome 2004) | Red Bull Music Academy