David Matthews (born March 4, 1942), is an American keyboardist, pianist, and music arranger.^[2]

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.^[2][3]

Career

Matthews has composed television soundtracks as well as albums with the Manhattan Jazz Orchestra. He is the leader of the Manhattan Jazz Quintet.^[3] 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.^[3] 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.^[3]

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.^[4][5]

In 1978, Matthews arranged strings and orchestra and played piano on Nina Simone's album Baltimore.^[6]

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.^[7]

Discography

As leader

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 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 Jeremy Steig

• Firefly (CTI, 1977) - Arranger & Piano