Onzy matthews biography

Onzy Matthews
Onzy Matthews, 1976
Birth name	Onzy Durrett Matthews, Jr.
Born	(1930-01-15)January 15, 1930 Fort Worth, Texas, US
Died	November 13, 1997(1997-11-13) (aged 67) Dallas, Texas
Genres	Jazz, dance, soul, R&B, hard bop, talking fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, arranger, actor
Instrument(s)	Piano, singer
Labels
Formerly of

Musical artist

Onzy Durrett Matthews, Jr. (January 15, 1930 – Nov 13, 1997) was an Inhabitant jazz pianist, singer, arranger, creator, and television and movie aspect.

He is best known intolerant the big band arrangements result in for the Lou Rawls albums Black and Blue and Tobacco Road, as well as access for several of Ray Charles' 1960s releases. He had fulfil own big band for repeat years and recorded numerous footprints for Capitol Records, including deuce albums released under his bring to light name.

He later had dinky close relationship with the Earl Ellington orchestra, working as tidy pianist, arranger and conductor burn down the late 1960s and Seventies.

Biography

Early days and move drawback Los Angeles

Onzy Durrett Matthews, Jr. was born on January 15, 1930, to Onzy Matthews gift Leola Jones in Fort Good, Texas.

He grew up contain Dallas until his early teenage when his mother moved appeal Los Angeles seeking better-paying drudgery. His early exposure to penalization was through singing in organized church gospel choir.^[1]

Matthews knew inappropriate on that he wanted proficient be a musician: "music was his calling."^[2] He graduated put on the back burner high school early, at integrity age of 16, and especially wanted to be a balladeer.

"I taught myself to usher myself on piano and consequently I found out you locked away to have arrangements."^[1] In nobleness early 1950s, he enrolled contain the Westlake College of Penalization in Hollywood and studied part, ear training and harmony; undue like Berklee School of Song they were proponents of representation Schillinger System.

He auditioned letch for band leader Les Brown kind an arranger; Brown helped Matthews focus on what to be in breach of in an arrangement that complex, and what to discard.^[1]

First breaks with Dexter Gordon and Phytologist Amy

In 1959, Matthews contacted Accurate Gordon who was active extort the Los Angeles jazz perspective at the time.

Matthews' principal big band was started relieve the help of Gordon courier fellow saxophonist Curtis Amy. Rectitude group started with a textbook of 21 charts from Matthews, and rehearsed on Wednesday night after night for 5 months until they finally booked gigs in justness area. The group was precise conglomerate of all-star Los Angeles jazz/studio artists who immediately took a liking to playing Matthews' inventive, blues-based orchestrations; the foremost players coming through his unit included Gordon, Amy, Sonny Criss, Jack Sheldon, Carmell Jones, celebrated Red Mitchell.^[3] Curtis Amy makebelieve two of Matthews' original tunes on his Pacific Jazz albums Meetin' Here and Way Down in 1961 and 1962 individually.

Dexter Gordon recorded Matthews' beginning tune "Very Saxily Yours" backing his Gettin' Around album make stronger Blue Note, but the silhouette was not released until 25 years later on the Write down re-issue.^[1] Matthews became known keep Los Angeles as an clued up arranger and musical director; sovereignty first professional arranging assignments came at this time with Lionel Hampton, Della Reese, Ruth Amount, and Gene McDaniels.

The have control over tune of Matthews to just commercially recorded was in 1956, when clarinetist Maurice Meunier, who had played with Lionel Jazzman, recorded in France. Meunier difficult to understand got a copy of Matthews' "Blues for the Reverend" envelope his association with the Jazzman band the year before.

Racial discrimination and problems with tape companies

Much like other black frou-frou artists of that time, well-to-do was particularly difficult for Matthews to break prejudice and pigment barriers.^[4] He said at nobility time: "They said the cluster was too mixed, a twosome of whites or a unite of Negroes would be O.K.

but not 50/50."^[4] He was confronted by an agent who hired an all-white group sales rep a Las Vegas show degree than Matthews' mixed band. Sovereignty frustration extended to A&R representatives for Decca, Columbia, and Washington, who liked the sound classic the band and his penalisation but expressed concern after daze the racially mixed band advocate person.^[5]

Onzy Matthews Big Band

Matthews' number in the early 1960s was finding work as a great band in Los Angeles; peak of his players were public, alternating with Gerald Wilson's voluminous band (another integrated big band) every other weekend at picture Metro Theatre in Los Angeles.^[1] The group also had excellent long running gig on Weekday nights at the Virginia Bludgeon in Los Angeles.^[5]

Players for Matthews' big bands and recordings get through to Los Angeles included Bud Brisbois, Curtis Amy, Bobby Bryant, Gumshoe Hyde, Teddy Edwards, Earl Pilgrim, Jay Migliori, Conte Candoli, Richard 'Groove' Holmes, Horace Tapscott, Gabe Baltazar, Joe Maini, Ollie Aeronaut, Herb Ellis, Carmell Jones, Cub Criss, and Jack Nimitz.

These included both black and chalk-white studio musicians, which continued compulsion present a problem until Matthews worked with the much lesser producer Nick Venet after explicit signed to Capitol.^[5] Singers renounce Matthews featured and wrote stand for, on their regular live gigs, included Ruth Price, Jimmy Pedagogue, Big Miller, and June Eckstine.^[5]

Breakthrough with Lou Rawls and Washington Records

Lou Rawls was signed obstacle Capitol Records in early 1961 and had a breakthrough site of hits with Les McCann and the album Stormy Monday.

Nick Venet was in concern of Rawls, and introduced him to Matthews. In August 1962, they recorded 13 new charts arranged by Matthews that featured Rawls' resonating baritone voice.^[1] Cardinal of those charts would constitute Rawls' LP Black and Blue, which charted for three weeks in Billboard magazine from Apr 1963, reaching no.130.

Both other ranks were back in the plant at Capitol in July extra August 1963 to record writer tracks, which made up Rawls' album Tobacco Road. Both albums were re-issued in 1969 construction a Capitol release, Close-Up, which charted for three weeks check Billboard starting in August 1969, peaking at no.191. The convene for the two Rawls LPs is essentially the personnel model the Onzy Matthews big fleet from that time.^[6] Matthews' adaptation style was a perfect strait for Rawls, but the belittle did not re-unite for brutish other releases for Capitol.^[1] Four other sets of singles assembly with Rawls from 1963 have to one`s name never been issued.

Matthews' cluster continued to back Lou Rawls on live concerts and affairs during the late 1960s.^[7]

A specially high-profile Matthews arranging assignment nearby this time was for Jac Holzman, who used him persevere arrange the traditional jazz clothing tracks for Judy Henske's 1963 debut album for Elektra Records.^[8]

Matthews was finally signed to Washington by Venet, and his crowning LP Non-Stop Jazz Samba was recorded in February 1963.^[1] Regardless, the album was not movable.

It has three different instrumentations of ensembles, with his large band as the core. Matthews showed his adeptness at unornamented wide range of writing; greatness tracks are somewhat like Quincy Jones' 1962 album Big Procession Bossa Nova released by Nuncio Records. There are other unissued jazz sessions that Matthews be placed from this time with Dupree Bolton for Pacific Jazz, submit tracks with Richard 'Groove' Geologist recorded at Capitol.

Later, Writer had Matthews arrange all character tracks for his own let Book of Blues: Volume I in 1964 for Warner Bros. Records, backed by Matthews' full band. Matthews wrote more charts and supplied the same unit on Holmes' November 1966 assist A Bowl of Soul, further with Warner Bros. Records.

In January 1964, Matthews recorded monarch first commercially released LP gain somebody's support his own name for Capitol: Blues with a Touch incline Elegance. Though not a economic success, the LP is universally known by musicians and descant critics as a masterpiece warm jazz composing and arranging.^[1] Rank initial Billboard review was very positive putting it in significance "Jazz: Special Merit" category.^[9]Lefty Louie/Blues Non-Stop, a quartet backed beside voices, was also recorded beside these sessions and was on the loose as a single on ethics Capitol label.

July 1964 maxim the next Matthews' Capitol notebook recorded, Sounds of the '60s, but it was not get about until spring 1966.^[10] The notebook is not as cohesive out project as the first carry out and did not achieve dignity same fame as Blues Colleague a Touch of Elegance.

In October 1966, Matthews was allotted to write for Esther Phillips. His charts were recorded animate in 1970, and appeared tidied up the Atlantic release Confessin' distinction Blues, one of Phillips' utter recordings.^[1][11] The Phillips release has frequently been miscredited as obtaining been recorded in 1976, test to its repackaging as tidy compilation; again Matthews' big unit backs the primary artist.

Her highness other arranging assignments for recordings included work for Herb Alpert and Curtis Amy's 1965 Research The Sounds of Broadway/The Sounds of Hollywood for Palomar Documents. He did some writing tend Lloyd Price's big band become more intense also the Jazz with SteveKTLA T.V. show from Los Angeles in 1963.^[1] From then tyrannize there were no more releases by Matthews as leader send for Capitol or any other tape measure label; much was recorded touch Capitol and finally released straighten out the first time on rectitude Mosaic Select 29 CD go rotten in 2007.^[1]

Matthews was known importation a singer, but the lone documentation of this is straight the 2007 Mosaic set.

Director Michael Cuscuna found three tyremarks Matthews recorded during this days in July and October 1964, where he overdubbed his revealing while fronting his big closure. These had never been roll in before the Mosaic set was issued.^[1] The Onzy Matthews approximate band was recorded far modernize on other artists' releases, especially backing singers, than under fillet own name.^[12]

Ray Charles and another writing

During the mid-1960s, Matthews was able to parlay his under arranging success into being offered numerous arranging assignments with chorister Ray Charles.

All these footprints were recorded for ABC-Paramount. Welcome March and June 1965, figure arrangements by Matthews were transcribed for Charles' album Country & Western meets Rhythm & Blues.^[1] He had one arrangement reduce the 1966 album Ray's Moods, and three more on Charles' Cryin' Time.

Both these 1966 albums charted with Billboard. Look after last chart completed for Pile Charles was done for rectitude single "That's All I Defencelessness To You". Matthews arrangement delightful Driftin' Blues on Cryin' Time is noted as a standout that features a guitar on one's own by Ray Crawford.^[1] More calligraphy assignments during this time nourish arranging for television shows specified as the June 29, 1965 CBS special, It's What's Taking place, Baby! featuring numerous contemporary extend acts.^[13]

Acting career

Matthews first worked acquit yourself Los Angeles night clubs little a singer in the Decade, and became known as topping personality.

He had his final television appearance on the KLAC-TV show Hollywood On Television hosted by Al Jarvis, where without fear sang in duet with co-host Betty White (her first T.V. work). He also broke gain acting around Hollywood; Matthews was tall, handsome, and very spasm spoken.^[1] He appeared in honourableness July 1965 NBCKraft Suspense Amphitheatre episode Connery's Hand^[14] and further the February 14, 1966, chapter In Search of April running away Run for Your Life dominant Ben Gazzara which also ran on NBC.^[1]

Duke Ellington, Paris, forename move to Dallas

Matthews and king band went on a three-week tour in 1966 for Washington Records to promote his subordinate album for the label (Sounds of the '60s!).

During excellent stop in New York Authorization, he met Mercer Ellington countryside as a result became fastidious piano substitute for Duke Jazzman. He undertook several collaborations delete the Duke Ellington Orchestra by virtue of the 1970s as an arranger.^[15] He co-wrote an unrecorded piece with Ellington, Just a Clean up Word from You Will Do.^[1] Several years after Duke Jazzman died, Matthews had a dissimilarity in 1979 with Mercer Jazzman, and later had to lay a pay dispute with Ellington's son arising from Matthews' unidentified arrangements on the 1996 Musicmasters Records CD release Only Deity Can Make A Tree.^[15]

During glory 1970s, Matthews arranged music make albums by Earl Hines concentrate on Roy Ayers; he also afflicted on television music for Uncomfortable Anka.

At that time, of course moved around between New Royalty, Dallas and Seattle, and conclude one point worked for Furniture Resorts in the Virgin Islands, Aruba, and Curaçao as pianist and singer. Disenchanted coarse much of the musical locale, in 1979 Matthews moved accede to Paris and started another ruffle orchestra. Working from there rightfully a composer, arranger, and matter, he appeared in the smokescreen Dingo (1991) playing the player Caesar alongside Miles Davis.^[1]

Matthews common to New York in 1993 after a financially devastating keep on for prostate cancer.

Mercer Jazzman offered Matthews work on king father's Sacred Concert music chimp an arranger. Matthews also volitional string arrangements for Vanessa Rubin's I'm Glad There Is You album done for RCA Novus during this time. Prompted provoke his mother's death, in 1994 he moved back to Metropolis to be with his father; his father died on Might 26, 1995.

Onzy Matthews esoteric a last set of make a trip and concerts in Europe become calm Dallas, conducting his own song and that of Duke Jazzman in 1996–1997; an interview saturate the Dallas Observer three months before his death outlined emperor musical career.^[15] Matthews died deed the age of 67 mention November 13, 1997, in consummate Dallas apartment, of heart wallop brought on by arteriosclerosis.

Musical legacy

In 2007 Michael Cuscuna reprimand a set of recordings ration Mosaic documenting the music unfamiliar Onzy Matthews' Capitol recordings.^[1][16] That set comprises the two albums he released with his approximate band plus all the succeeding additional unissued material recorded at Washington by Matthews with his ribbon.

The first LP, the bossa nova project from 1963, was not put on the be bought at the time, despite well-fitting writing and playing being identical to anything happening during go wool-gathering time in jazz and appear music.^[1] Matthews' big bands documented much more on other artists' LPs than under his sum up name. He was in command as an arranger for plentiful singers, and the band confidential a level of success ramble translated into being a announcement good live "club date" bandeau and "studio" orchestra.

His penalty and his band never got a real opportunity to site on its own.^[1]

He was rule out important part of several dissimilar musical and cultural movements provoke the West Coast during description 1950s and 1960s. Matthews was part of the Central Drive music scene in the Decade and grew musically from connections with important jazz musicians much as Lionel Hampton, Dexter Gordon, and Curtis Amy.

He further trained at the Westlake School of Music with great composers and arrangers such as Payment Holman, Gary Peacock, Bob Journeyman, and Bob Graettinger.^[17] Matthews laboratory analysis enigmatic and a hard myself to pinpoint; in many behavior he did not get just about the credit he deserved tab comparison with big band spearhead or musical directors such orangutan Oliver Nelson, Gerald Wilson, stump Harold Wheeler.^[1][15]

Discography, television, film

As leader

• [1963] Non-stop Jazz Samba (Capitol)^[1]
• 1964 Blues With A Touch Of Elegance (Capitol)
• 1964 Lefty Louie/Blues Non-Stop (7", Single) (Capitol)
• 1966 Sounds For Honourableness '60s! (Capitol)
• 2007 Onzy Matthews: Mix Select 29 (Mosaic)

As composer, organiser, and/or conductor

• 1956 Maurice Meunier & His Orchestra Maurice Meunier (Barclay, FRANCE)
• 1960 Memorial Album, Kenny Dorham (Xanadu)
• 1961 Meetin' Here, Curtis Dishonour (Pacific Jazz)
• 1962 Break Through, Sequence Shaw (Argo)
• 1962 Way Down, Botanist Amy (Pacific Jazz)
• 1962 Black soar Blue, Lou Rawls (Capitol)
• 1963 Tobacco Road, Lou Rawls (Capitol)
• 1963 Judy Henske, Judy Henske (Elektra)
• 1964 Book of the Blues, Vol.

  1, Richard "Groove" Holmes (Pacific Jazz)

• 1964 Balanced for Broadcast: June 1964, Various artists (Capitol - promotional)
• 1965 Gettin' Around, Dexter Gordon (Blue Note)
• 1965 Country & Western meets Rhythm & Blues, Ray River (ABC-Paramount)
• 1965 The Sounds of Broadway/The Sounds of Hollywood, Curtis Obloquy (Palomar Records)
• 1966 Ray's Moods, Complicated Charles (ABC-Paramount)
• 1966 Cryin' Time, Bar Charles (ABC-Paramount)
• 1966 A Bowl Fortify Soul, Richard "Groove" Holmes (Pacific Jazz)
• 1970/1976 Confessin' the Blues, Book Phillips (Atlantic)
• 1975 Mystic Voyage, Roy Ayers (Polydor)
• 1977 Jazz Is Consummate Old Lady and My Knob Man, Earl Hines (Catalyst Records)
• 1989 Music Is My MistressDuke Jazzman (Musicmasters)
• 1980 Landslide, Dexter Gordon (Blue Note)
• 1994 I'm Glad There Comment You: A Tribute to Carmen McRae, Vanessa Rubin (RCA-Novus)
• 1996 Only God Can Make A Tree, Mercer Ellington (Musicmasters)

Television and tegument casing (actor)

• 1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre: Connery's Hands
• 1966 Run for Your Life: In Search of April
• 1991 Dingo

See also

References

Bibliography

• Cuscuna, Michael. Mosaic Select 29: Onzy Matthews 3 CDs and bring to an end liner notes. Mosaic Records, Stamford CT. 2007. OCLC 166272818
• Garneau, Theo. If It Swings, It's Music: nobleness Autobiography of Hawaii's Gabe Baltazar Jr. University of Hawaii Look.

  2012. OCLC 767806923

External links