David Matthews (keyboardist)

David Matthews (born March 4, 1942), is an American keyboardist, pianist, and music arranger.

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.

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.

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 (King Records, 1989)
 * Jazz Ballads with Strings (Sweet Basil, 1991)
 * Super Trombone (Sweet Basil, 1995)
 * Watermelon Man (Sweet Basil, 1997)
 * Furuhata Jazz in N.Y. (WEA, 1997)
 * Mambo No. 5 (Sweet Basil, 1998)
 * Back to Bach (Milestone, 2000)
 * Girl from Ipanema with N.Y. Friends (Videoarts Music, 2002)
 * Impressions with N.Y. Friends (Videoarts Music, 2002)
 * 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 Jim Hall
 * Concierto de Aranjuez (Evidence, 1981) - Composer, Arranger, Electric Piano


 * 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 O'Donel Levy
 * With Yusef Lateef
 * Autophysiopsychic (CTI, 1977) - Arranger
 * 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 Jeremy Steig
 * Firefly (CTI, 1977) - Arranger & Piano

Interviews

 * James Brown Arranger David Matthews Lecture (Rome 2004) | Red Bull Music Academy