Let's Get Down – Ronnie Mathews
An exuberant uptempo swing by pianist/composer Ronnie Mathews.
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- Recording: Ronnie Mathews - Doin' The Thang
- Recorded on: December 17, 1963
- Label: Prestige (PR 7303)
- Concert Key: A-flat
- Style: Swing (uptempo)
- Trumpet - Freddie Hubbard
- Baritone Sax - Charles Davis
- Piano - Ronnie Mathews
- Bass - Eddie Khan
- Drums - Albert "Tootie" Heath
- Check out this performance of "Let's Get Down" by Ronnie Mathews and arranged by Melba Liston, brought to you by The U.S. Army Blues. In celebration of #JazzAppreciationMonth we're highlighting the incredible contributions of composers like Ronnie and Melba all month long. The arrangement is available from HalLeonard.com.
This composition works great at a variety of tempos. When Ronnie recorded it later with Dexter Gordon, they did it in a more medium tempo (ca. 186), with the melody A sections in a 2-feel.
Unfortunately, Ronnie's version on his album "Doin' The Thang" is not available online, so we've included links to Amazon
& iTunes for the live Dexter Gordon version.Ronnie also recorded Let's Get Down with Dexter Gordon, Woody Shaw and Louis Hayes on Dexter Gordon's "Homecoming" album for Columbia Records in 1976. Ken Burns used that version in his 2001 TV series and DVD set "Jazz." In the 1990s Melba Liston arranged it for big band, and Ronnie can be heard performing that arrangement with the Pratt Brothers Big Band on "Groovy Encounters" (Amosaya Music AM 2532.)
You can also see the US Army Blues performing it on YouTube (see above). This big band arrangement is available from Hal Leonard.
Ronnie Mathews
Dec 2, 1935 – Jun 28, 2008
Ronnie Mathews was born in Brooklyn, NY. He studied at Brooklyn College, and also with pianist/composer/arranger Hall Overton starting in 1953, then continuing his music education at Manhattan School Of Music from 1955-1958. He played with Gloria Lynne (1958-1960) and started his small group jazz recording career with Charles Persip And The Jazz Statesmen for Bethlehem records on April 2, 1960. He also performed with Kenny Dorham in 1960 and 1961, as well as recording in 1961 on sessions with leaders Clifford Jordan (February 14), Roland Alexander (June 17), his own trio session for Savoy (June 19, unissued), Bill Hardman (October 18), and Junior Cook (December 4). Read more...