[Dixielandjazz] Rich Matteson

[Richard Crockett]

I first heard Rich playing piano in a jazz trio setting somewhere in Dallas.
I didn't know for a long time that he was "the man" on baritone horn. He and
my buddy Jack Petersen did a lot of work together -- writing as well as
playing. I have lots of recorded examples of their prowess.
Rich left UNT to go to Northern Florida State and Jack soon followed. Jack
is retired now and lives in Prescott Valley AZ. He's only been there a
couple of months but is already playing a lot. He is a double threat
guitar-piano guy. Jack adamantly refuses to get a computer but he does have
a free-standing CD burner and he uses me as his "off-property archive". In
addition to his personal recordings he has laid a lot of his vinyl
collection on me. Mostly obscure old guitar stuff: George Barnes, Van Eps,
Tony Matolla, Carl Kress, Oscar Moore, and more. Jack and I went to Denton
last October for our 50-year High School Reunion. A really nice and
emotional experience. We even played a few tunes.
Back to Rich Matteson: He came to Central Methodist College in Missouri
(c.1975) and did a clinic for my friend and colleague Ron "Bear" Anson; an
outstanding lower-brass man himself. Rich was great with the students and
young band directors. Really helped them with both technical advice, and
philosophical insights about jazz and the music biz. Also, his arrangements
were very good -- playable, musical, and "swing like a pendulum do". I had
the privilege of playing on the concert at the end of his clinic. Rich did a
comedy bit putting a mic in the bell of his euph and speaking through the
horn; plus, making appropriate noises to create the illusion that he was a
German U-boat commander speaking to the crew through some sort of
communication tube... anyway it was a gas!

"Those were the da a a ays, oh, yes those were the days!"

dc