Mateus defies categorization. His music draws from the urban sounds of his New York City youth, the rhythms of his Colombian homeland, and a vast spectrum of global traditions—a collision of worlds that fuels his singular artistic vision.

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Born in Bogotá, Colombia, an immigrant raised in America, Mateus built his reputation as a guitarist, composer and producer who refuses to be confined by genres or trends. Whether exploring rock, funk, jazz, fusion, or experimental offshoots, Mateus pursues collaborations rooted in originality, tradition, authenticity and substance. He searches for artistic exploration over conventional career paths, collaborating with visionary musicians, dancers and visual media artists. Rather than chase high-profile gigs, Mateus is committed to community arts education and dissemination of cultural expressions.

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His commitment to music education and growth led him to study with masters including Chuck Wayne, Anthony Purrone, John Scofield, Cornell Dupree, and Robert Mamary, absorbing everything from jazz and classical guitar to country pedal steel.  Mateus studied at Hunter College (B.A., M.A.), the Graduate Center (CUNY) and holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from Wesleyan University, with specialization in Latin American and Caribbean music traditions.

 

From the late '70s to today, Mateus has performed, to name a few, at Lincoln Center, CBGBs, the Whitney Museum, the Nuyorican Café, and has recorded and toured throughout the U.S. and Europe, with experimental composers, choreographers, and jazz innovators Anthony Braxton, Rhys Chatham, Jeffrey Lohn, Ben Neil, Peter Kotik.

His own projects span Latin jazz to Organ Jazz trios (Mateus Trio, Triage), post-punk and reggae (Disturbed Furniture, The Terrorists, Young Turks), rap-funk (Black Mambo Dreams, Isaac Sawyer), and Colombian folk traditions (Jíbaro & Vallenato Collective, Parranda Vallenata, Vallenato City). And now, as the world embraces cultural diversity, Mateus is ready to unleash music that's been waiting to erupt—a volcano of music, decades in the making.

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Mateus won a GRAMMY in 2008 for Best Historical Recording as producer of "The Live Wire: Woody Guthrie in Performance, 1949", and an ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award for his liner notes.  Beyond performing, Mateus shares his passion as an educator, scholar, music archivist and community activist, hosting Hurdy Gurdy Songs, a weekly internet radio program on the Radio Free Brooklyn network. 

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Music is my life. Always has been. Always will be.