David Matthews

Who is David Matthews?

David Matthews is a keyboardist, pianist, and arranger, born in Sonora, Kentucky, United States.

A graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a bachelor's degree in composition, 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 many musicians, including Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Rich, Idris Muhammad and the Starland Vocal Band. He was staff arranger for Creed Taylor's CTI Records label in the mid-70s, working on albums for artists such as George Benson, Esther Phillips, Grover Washington Jr., Hank Crawford and Idris Muhammad. In 1978, Matthews arranged strings and orchestra, and played piano, on Nina Simone's landmark CTI Records album Baltimore.