David Matthews, born in Sonora, Kentucky, is an American keyboardist, pianist, and arranger whose funk-infused career spans decades. A University of Cincinnati composition graduate, Matthews led the psychedelic funk band The Grodeck Whipperjenny and arranged for James Brown in the 1970s, collaborating with luminaries like Bootsy Collins, George Benson, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Rich, and Idris Muhammad. As staff arranger for CTI Records, he shaped albums for Benson, Esther Phillips, Grover Washington Jr., and others, defining the label’s smooth jazz sound. His 1977 album *Dune* was a pioneering tribute to Frank Herbert’s novel, and in 1978, he arranged strings and played piano for Nina Simone’s *Baltimore*. Leading the Manhattan Jazz Quintet and Orchestra, Matthews scored films like *The Parallax View* and *The Stepford Wives*, and his work has been widely sampled by hip-hop artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Nas, and MF DOOM. Renowned in Japan, his extensive discography and television soundtracks cement his legacy as a versatile musical innovator.