Jazz Arrangers a century of big band writing, 1920s–present

Jazz arranging · Fusion & Jazz-Funk

DavidMatthews

b. 1942 arranger · composer · orchestrator

Matthews's arranging style combined jazz sophistication with funk and R&B grooves.

iridescent colorornate densitylayered register
Portrait of David Matthews
Sophiacscott, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Predominant era
Fusion & Jazz-Funk
Lifespan
b. 1942
Signature
iridescent color
00

Bio · 30 words

David Matthews was born in Sonora, Kentucky, and studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory. He emerged in the late 1960s as arranger for James Brown before becoming a leading fusion arranger.

01

Musical style

Sound DNA

Five shared dimensions make the arranger’s musical priorities visible at a glance.

David Matthews sound DNA Comparative profile of color, space, register, density, and motion.
The same scale is used throughout the collection.
Color90

Iridescent

Instrumental color leads the design.

Space47

Compact

Ideas arrive in tightly packed frames.

Register72

Layered

Registers work as distinct layers.

Density80

Ornate

Dense detail rewards close listening.

Motion69

Elastic

The rhythmic feel expands and contracts.

02

Orchestration

Technique deck

Select a card to spotlight a device drawn from this arranger’s orchestral language.

03

Music first

Scores & orchestras

Switch recordings to compare how this arranger’s musical priorities shape each orchestral profile.

Thrust

Thrust

Matthews's arrangements helped define Hancock's fusion sound.

Listen forNotice how color shapes the orchestral profile.

Find listening example on YouTube
Comparative orchestral profile
Color 78
Register 68
Density 72
Motion 64
iridescent colorornate densitylayered register

Profile derived from the arranger’s documented style and recording notes; exact instrumentation is not asserted.

04

Start here

Three essential albums

One line each—enough context to choose the next listen.

  1. 01 — ThrustHerbie Hancock Matthews's arrangements helped define Hancock's fusion sound.
  2. 02 1977 DuneDavid Matthews Leading his own big band, Matthews's arrangements showcase his full range.
  3. 03 — Chapter Three: Viva Emiliano ZapataGato Barbieri Matthews's arrangements for Barbieri incorporate Latin elements with fusion.