George Matthews (musician) Hawkins's group in the early 1950s. In the 1960s he played with Lucille Dixon and Clark Terry, among others. With Dizzy Gillespie George Matthews (musician) George Matthews (sometimes listed as Georges) (September 23, 1912 in Dominica, British West Indies – June 28, 1982 in New York City) was a jazz trombonist. Matthews's father was a guitarist; Matthews himself was adept on tuba and trumpet as well as trombone. He received classical training in New York City and played with local dance and jazz bands before joining Tiny Bradshaw's group in the early 1930s. He worked later in the 1930s with
Dizzy Gillespie time in Calloway's band, Gillespie started writing big band music for Woody Herman and Jimmy Dorsey. He then freelanced with a few bands, most notably Ella Fitzgerald's orchestra, composed of members of the Chick Webb's band. Gillespie did not serve in World War II. At his Selective Service interview, he told the local board, "in this stage of my life here in the United States whose foot has been in my ass?" He was classified 4-F. In 1943, he joined the Earl Hines band. Composer Gunther Schuller said, Gillespie said of the Hines band, "[p]eople talk about the Hines band