Ron Mathewson


Rognvald Andrew Mathewson was a British jazz double bassist and bass guitarist.
During his career, Mathewson performed with Ronnie Scott, but also recorded with Stan Getz, Joe Henderson, Joan Armatrading, Ben Webster, Philly Joe Jones, Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans.

Biography

Mathewson was born in Lerwick, Shetland Islands, into an unusually musical household. At eight years of age, he was studying classical piano. He continued to study and perform classical piano until he reached the age of 16, having started playing bass guitar a year earlier. His talent was noted and encouraged by the Shetland musician Peerie Willie Johnson.
In 1962, Mathewson was in Germany, playing professionally with a band that played Dixieland music. In London, he performed with various jazz and R&B bands throughout the early 1960s. Around this time, he was also a member of The Kenny Clarke-Francy Boland Big Band. In 1966, Mathewson became a member of the Tubby Hayes band, with which he performed until 1973. From 1975 on into the 1990s, Mathewson was frequently a participant in Ronnie Scott's recordings and concerts. In 1983, he appeared on his old friend Dick Morrissey's solo album, After Dark, with Jim Mullen, John Critchinson, Martin Drew and Barry Whitworth.
On 11 February 2007, a benefit concert was held for Mathewson, who was reportedly recovering from two broken hips, a broken wrist and a ruptured artery.
The newsletter of the Vortex Jazz Club reported on 4 December 2020, that Mathewson had died the previous day, after suffering from COVID-19 in London during the pandemic in England.

Discography

With Tubby Hayes
  • For Members Only
  • Mexican Green
With Philly Joe Jones
  • Trailways Express
With John Taylor
  • Reverie
With Gordon Beck
With Ronnie Scott
  • Live At Ronnie Scott's
  • Serious Gold
With Phil Woods and His European Rhythm Machine
With John Stevens
  • Blue
With Terry Smith
  • Fall Out
With Kenny Clarke
  • Rue Chaptal
With Kenny Wheeler
  • Song for Someone
With Acoustic Alchemy
  • Early Alchemy
With Ian Carr
  • Solar Plexus
With the Spontaneous Music Ensemble
  • The Source: From and Towards
  • Live Big Band and Quartet
With The Chitinous Ensemble
  • Chitinous
With Stan Sulzmann
  • On Loan with Gratitude
With Rollercoaster
  • Wonderin
With Ray Nance
  • Huffin'n'Puffin
With Charles Tolliver
  • ''Impact''