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
Billy Root (musician) Billy Root (musician) William "Billy" Root (born March 6, 1934, Philadelphia) is an American jazz saxophonist. Root was raised in a musical family; his father played drums in Philadelphia ensembles. Root began playing professionally in the early 1950s, with Roy Eldridge, Hal McIntyre, Red Rodney, Bennie Green, and Buddy Rich. Later in the decade he worked extensively with Stan Kenton and with Rodney, as well as with Clifford Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Hank Mobley, Lee Morgan, and Curtis Fuller. He led his own ensembles from the late 1950s. In the 1960s he performed with Al Grey and Dakota Staton, and in