Rich Matteson
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jazz artist, collegiate music educator, international jazz clinician, big band leader, and jazz composer/arranger. Euphonium
Euphonium
The euphonium is a conical-bore, tenor-voiced brass instrument. It derives its name from the Greek word euphonos, meaning "well-sounding" or "sweet-voiced"...
was his primary instrument, although Matteson was proficient on several other low brass
Low brass
Low brass may refer to:*Low brass, a copper-zinc alloy*Low brass, a categorization of brass instruments...
instruments, particularly bass trumpet
Bass trumpet
The bass trumpet is a type of low trumpet which was first developed during the 1820s in Germany. It is usually pitched in 8' C or 9' B today, but is sometimes built in E and is treated as a transposing instrument sounding either an octave, a sixth or a ninth lower than written, depending on the...
, valve trombone, tuba
Tuba
The tuba is the largest and lowest-pitched brass instrument. Sound is produced by vibrating or "buzzing" the lips into a large cupped mouthpiece. It is one of the most recent additions to the modern symphony orchestra, first appearing in the mid-19th century, when it largely replaced the...
, and Helicon
Helicon (musical instrument)
The helicon is a brass musical instrument in the tuba family. Most are BB basses, but they also commonly exist in EE, F, and tenor sizes, as well as other types to a lesser extent....
. He also was a proficient jazz pianist. Except for Kiane Zawadi
Kiane Zawadi
Bernard Atwell McKinney, later Kiane Zawadi is an American jazz trombonist and euphonium player.McKinney was born into a family of ten children, several of which also became musicians. He is the uncle of R&B producer and jazz pianist Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney...
, Matteson was the only significant euphonium soloist in jazz.
Career
Matteson served two years (1950–52) with the U.S. Army bands. He then studied music at the University of Iowa. In 1955, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from the University of Iowa College of Liberl Arts (his principal instruments were tuba and euphonium). He then taught high school in Durant, IowaDurant, Iowa
Durant is a city in Cedar, Muscatine, and Scott counties in the US state of Iowa. The population was 1,677 at the 2000 census. The community is named in honor of Thomas C...
. In 1957, he moved to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. There he performed on bass trumpet
Bass trumpet
The bass trumpet is a type of low trumpet which was first developed during the 1820s in Germany. It is usually pitched in 8' C or 9' B today, but is sometimes built in E and is treated as a transposing instrument sounding either an octave, a sixth or a ninth lower than written, depending on the...
, played the tuba in a walking bass style with Bob Scobey
Bob Scobey
Bob Scobey was an American jazz musician born in Tucumcari, New Mexico.He began his career playing in dance orchestras and nightclubs in the 1930s. In 1938 he worked as second trumpeter for Lu Watters in the Yerba Buena Jazz Band. By 1949 he was leading his own band under the name Bob Scobey's...
(1958), and worked with the Dukes of Dixieland
Dukes of Dixieland
Dukes of Dixieland was a New Orleans dixieland revival band formed in 1948 by brothers Frank Assunto, trumpet; Fred Assunto, trombone; and their father Papa Jac Assunto, trombone and banjo. Their first records featured Jack Maheu, clarinet; Stanley Mendelsohn, piano; Tommy Rundell, drums; and...
for two years (1959–61). In 1967 he conducted the Brothers Castro Big Band in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. He joined the faculty of University of North Texas College of Music
University of North Texas College of Music
The University of North Texas College of Music, based in Denton, is a comprehensive music school with the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music, and the oldest in the world offering a degree in jazz studies...
in 1973. In 1976 he co-founded, with tuba player Harvey Phillips
Harvey Phillips
Harvey Phillips was a professor emeritus of the , Indiana University, Bloomington and dedicated advocate for the tuba.-Biography:Phillips was a professional freelance musician from 1950 to 1971, winning his first professional...
, the Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort
Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort
Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort is a US big band scored for low brass instruments – trombones, euphoniums, and tubas – performed by artists who are renowned in jazz or classical or both.-History:...
, which consisted of three euphoniums, three tubas, and rhythm section.
In 1986, the University of North Florida
University of North Florida
The University of North Florida is a public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida, the university is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s...
appointed Matteson the Kroger Distinguished Professor of American Music and, upon retirement in 1992, the university named him Distinguished Professor Emeritus.
Awards
- 1990 — Inducted into the Jazz Educators Hall of Fame, International Association for Jazz Education
- 1992 — Down Beat Lifetime Achievement AwardDown Beat Lifetime Achievement AwardDown Beat Magazine, the most prestigious Jazz publication, has been giving awards for Jazz performance since its inception.-Hall of Fame :The Down Beat Jazz Hall of Fame is maintained at Universal Studios' City Jazz club in Orlando, Florida. Current membership, by year, is listed in the following...
- 2000 — Inducted into the Jacksonville Jazz Festival Hall of Fame for his significant contributions to jazz as an educator and musician
See also
- Euphonium repertoireEuphonium repertoireThe euphonium repertoire consists of solo literature and parts in band or, less commonly, orchestral music written for the euphonium. Since its invention in 1843, the euphonium has always had an important role in ensembles, but solo literature was slow to appear, consisting of only a handful of...
- Jack Petersen (guitarist)
- Matteson-Phillips Tubajazz ConsortMatteson-Phillips Tubajazz ConsortMatteson-Phillips Tubajazz Consort is a US big band scored for low brass instruments – trombones, euphoniums, and tubas – performed by artists who are renowned in jazz or classical or both.-History:...
Audio & video samples of Matteson performing
- Al Hirt, Rich Matteson – St. John's River City Band
- Don't Get Around Much Anymore
- Matteson-Phillips TubaJazz Consort – Spoofy
Personal life
Rich Matteson was born to the marriage of Richmond Albert Matteson (b. 1900 Charles City, IA - d. 1973 Denton, TX) and Bessie Mary Matteson (née Scholer, b. 1904 Zumbro Falls, MN - d. 1986 Rock Island, IL).- 19 Mar 1964 – Matteson married Priscilla A. (nee ?) (b. 1938); they divorced 17 May 1973, Dallas County, TX. While married, they had two children.
- 22 Dec 1973 – Matteson married Michelle L. Cox (b. 1947- ) in Denton, TX