A Matter of Expression

Veteran Los Angeles keyboardist Greg Mathieson has been lucky: He’s had an extensive career in the world of pop music, and he’s also been involved in numerous contemporary jazz projects. But what he loves to do most is simply perform as a leader.

“I make my living doing other people’s music, but playing live anywhere that I can express myself without restriction is for my soul,” said Mathieson, a big bear of a guy who, at 48, wears his silver-gray hair in a ponytail.

Mathieson, who appears Sunday at the Baked Potato in North Hollywood, was the arranger and keyboardist behind a dozen ‘70s and ‘80s top 10 singles, among them Toni Basil’s “Mickey” (No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts in 1982), Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” (No. 2 in 1982) and Donna Summer’s “MacArthur Park” (No. 1 in 1978). He’s also had a major role in albums by Barbra Streisand, Sheena Easton and Manhattan Transfer.

In the jazz realm, Mathieson has played in person and/or on albums by guitarists Larry Carlton and Lee Ritenour, bassist Abraham Laboriel, saxophonist-bassoonist-flutist Ray Pizzi and the late Latin jazz drummer-singer Willie Bobo.

These days, Mathieson, who has lived in the Valley since 1961, does most of his pop work in Europe. He works there mainly with the Italian star Umberto Tozzi, who wrote “Gloria,” which Branigan covered, and whose latest album, “Equivocando” sold well over a million copies.

It was the keyboardist’s arrangement of Summer’s “MacArthur Park” that changed Mathieson’s life. “I used 24 strings, nine horns, a harp. It was a full arrangement, and after that, the phone rang off the hook,” Mathieson said.

“During the same period, I had been recording and touring with Larry Carlton, and I had to decide between going on the road for fun and the pop career.” Essentially, he chose the latter.

The amount of time required for his pop work, and the occasional tour with Laboriel, hasn’t left much time for Mathieson’s own career. His last album available as a domestic release was 1989’s “For My Friends,” though he said he’s planning to make a new CD. With such a dearth of activity, playing at the Baked Potato, where he’s performed for more than 20 years, is a welcome experience.

“I was given an open invitation to play there years ago, and it’s the same now,” Mathieson said. “I played there when nobody came in and, now that I can draw a crowd, I feel loyal.”

Mathieson, who is wrapping up a brief stint at the room Sunday, will use a band of favored cohorts: bassist Laboriel; the bassist’s son, drummer Abraham Laboriel Jr.; and guitarist Michael Landau. The music mirrors the leader’s diverse influences of jazz, rock, Latin and more, and is played as spontaneously as possible.

“We just count it off and see what happens,” Mathieson said. “We’re using these tunes as platforms to go wherever we want to go. I love being able to express my feelings and have them shared by the people in the audience.”

Greg Mathieson plays Sunday, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Baked Potato, 3787 Cahuenga Blvd., North Hollywood. $10 cover, two-drink minimum. (818) 980-1615.

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Quick Hits: Another musician who goes for spontaneity is guitarist Scott Henderson. Often, he and his partners will come on stage and just start to play, seeing if a tune develops. If one doesn’t, they’ll simply follow their ears. Henderson appears tonight, perhaps with the fine keyboardist Scott Kinsey in tow, at 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. at La Ve Lee (12514 Ventura Blvd., Studio City; cover charge, $8, two-drink minimum; [818] 980-8158).

Things of a more mainstream orientation will take place when keyboardist Bill Cunliffe plays tonight, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., at Chadney’s (3000 W. Olive St., Burbank; no cover, one-drink minimum per show; [818] 843-5333). Last time the persuasive artist appeared here, he played organ, an instrument Mathieson also plays. But since Chadney’s has brought a new piano in, perhaps he’ll play that.