Mat Mathews

Mat Mathews, born Mathieu Schwarts (June 18, 1924 – February 12, 2009), was a Dutch jazz accordionist.

Mathews was born in The Hague and learned to play accordion while the Netherlands was under Nazi rule during World War II. After hearing Joe Mooney on a radio broadcast after the war, he decided to begin playing jazz. From 1947 to 1950 he played with The Millers in Holland, and then moved to New York City in 1952. He formed a quartet there which included Herbie Mann; he also played with Art Farmer, Julius Watkins, Joe Puma, Oscar Pettiford, Gigi Gryce, Dick Katz, Percy Heath, and Kenny Clarke. He played with Carmen McRae in 1954-55. In 1956 he played in the group The 4 Most with Al Cohn, Gene Quill, Hank Jones and Mundell Lowe.

Later in the 1950s and into the 1960s he worked primarily as a studio musician, and in 1964 he moved back to the Netherlands. There he continued work in studios as an arranger and producer, and recorded less as a player.

Discography

• Four albums for Van Wouw, 1944; titles unknown
• Accordion Solos (Brunswick Records, 1953)
• Mat Mathews (Brunswick, 1953)
• The Modern Art of Jazz (Dawn Records, 1956)
• The Gentle Art of Love (Dawn, 1956)
• Records for Savoy and Verve, 1957
• Swingin' Pretty and All That Jazz (Design Records, 1959)
• Record for Ariola, 1975

References

Footnotes

Sources

• Scott Yanow, Mat Mathews at Allmusic