Ronnie Mathews


Ronald Mathews 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.
Critics have compared him to pianists Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, and McCoy Tyner.

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.
One of the highlights of his career, and one of his longest associations, was with the Johnny Griffin Quartet. For almost five years he was an integral part of this band and forged lasting relationships with Griffin, Kenny Washington and Ray Drummond. The New York Times described Mathews as "a constant and provocative challenge to Mr. Griffin. is the energizer of the group". One of the few Johnny Griffin recordings that features Mathews' original compositions is "To the Ladies".
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. 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".

Discography

As leader

With Roland Alexander
  • Pleasure Bent
With Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
  • Live! at Slug's NYC
  • Moanin'
With Thomas Chapin
With Larry Coryell
  • New High
With Kenny Dorham
With Teddy Edwards
With Dexter Gordon
  • '
With Johnny Griffin
  • Return of the Griffin
  • NYC Underground
  • To the Ladies
  • Live / Autumn Leaves
With Bill Hardman
  • Saying Something
With Louis Hayes
With Roy Haynes
With Joe Henderson
With Freddie Hubbard
With Sam Jones
  • Visitation
With Clifford Jordan
  • Play What You Feel
  • Down Through the Years
With T. S. Monk
  • Take One
  • Changing of the Guard
  • The Charm
  • Monk on Monk
With Frank Morgan
  • Mood Indigo
  • Reflections
With Lee Morgan
  • The Rumproller
With Sal Nistico
  • Neo/Nistico
With Charlie Persip
  • Charles Persip and the Jazzstatesmen
With Max Roach
  • Drums Unlimited
With Woody Shaw
  • Little Red's Fantasy
  • The Woody Shaw Concert Ensemble at the Berliner Jazztage
  • The Tour – Volume One
With James Spaulding
  • Blues Nexus
With Sonny Stitt'