Birth name Ronald Mathews Role Jazz Pianist Name Ronnie Mathews | Instruments Piano Genres Jazz | |
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Born December 2, 1935
New York City, New York, U.S. ( 1935-12-02 ) Occupation(s) Musician, composer, educator Died June 28, 2008, New York City, New York, United States Movies Jeanie Bryson: Latin Jam, Freddie Hubbard: All Blues Albums Trip To The Orient, Doin' the Thang!, Radius Similar People Stafford James, Ray Drummond, Louis Hayes, Kenny Washington, Junior Cook | ||
Education Manhattan School of Music | ||
Ronnie mathews the orient
Ronald Mathews (December 2, 1935 in New York City – June 28, 2008 in Brooklyn) was an American jazz pianist who worked with Max Roach from 1963 to 1968 and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers. He acted as lead in recording from 1963 and 1978–79. His most recent work was in 2008, as both a mentor and musician with Generations, a group of jazz musicians headed by veteran drummer Jimmy Cobb. He contributed two new compositions for the album that was released by San Francisco State University's International Center for the Arts on September 15, 2008.
Contents
- Ronnie mathews the orient
- Ronnie mathews trio in a sentimental mood
- Biography
- As leader
- As sideman
- References
Critics have compared him to pianists Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and McCoy Tyner.
Ronnie mathews trio in a sentimental mood
Biography
In his twenties, Mathews toured internationally and recorded with Roach, Freddie Hubbard and Roy Haynes. He was also a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers in the late 1950s through the 1960s. By thirty, he began teaching jazz piano and led workshops, clinics and master classes at Long Island University in New York City. Besides Dexter Gordon and Clark Terry, he toured and recorded on two Louis Hayes projects in the 70's (i.e. the Louis Hayes-Woody Shaw Quintet and the Louis Hayes-Junior Cook Quintet).
One of the highlights of his career, and one of his longest associations, was with the Johnny Griffin Quartet. For almost five years (1978-1982) he was an integral part of this band and forged lasting relationships with Griffin, Kenny Washington (drums) and Ray Drummond (bass). The New York Times described Mathews as "a constant and provocative challenge to Mr. Griffin. [...He] is the energizer of the group". One of the few Johnny Griffin recordings that features Mathews' original compositions is "To the Ladies" (Galaxy).
In the 1980s, Mathews began honing his role as a front man. He performed as a leader in duo, trio and quartet configurations around the world (from New York City to Genova, to the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, and more). He also toured with Freddie Hubbard and Dizzy Gillespie's United Nations Band. Mathews was also involved in cross-media projects: he was pianist for the Tony Award winning Broadway musical, Black and Blue in 1989, and, in 1990, he was one of the artists who recorded for Spike Lee's movie, Mo' Better Blues.
After a stint touring and recording with the Clifford Jordan Big Band in the early 1990s, Mathews joined T.S. Monk for eight years of touring and recording. The Chicago Tribune stated that "The soul of the band [...] is pianist Ronnie Mathews, whose angular romanticism provides the horn players with a lush and spicy foundation for their improvising". Three albums were recorded with the T.S. Monk, Jr. Band, including Charm. Mathews died of pancreatic cancer on June 28, 2008 in Brooklyn.
In 1998, Hal Leonard Books published his collection of student arrangements: "Easy Piano of Thelonious Monk".
As leader
As sideman
With Roland Alexander
With Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
With Kenny Dorham
With Dexter Gordon
With Johnny Griffin
With Bill Hardman
With Louis Hayes
With Roy Haynes
With Joe Henderson
With Freddie Hubbard
With Sam Jones
With Clifford Jordan
With Lee Morgan
With Sal Nistico
With Charlie Persip
With Max Roach
With Woody Shaw
With Sonny Stitt