Rognvald Andrew Mathewson (19 February 1944 – 3 December 2020) 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 during the pandemic in England.

Discography

With Tubby Hayes With Philly Joe Jones With John Taylor With Gordon Beck With Ronnie Scott With Phil Woods and His European Rhythm Machine With John Stevens With Terry Smith With Kenny Clarke With Kenny Wheeler With Acoustic Alchemy With Ian Carr With the Spontaneous Music Ensemble With ''The Chitinous Ensemble With Stan Sulzmann With Rollercoaster With Ray Nance With Charles Tolliver