Just for you to know a little bit about me.
Nilson Matta has long been considered one of Brazil's best bass players. Since his arrival in New York in 1985 he has become the first call of many of the top US musicians. Nilson studied bass at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) with Sandrino Santoro, Brazil's premier classical bass player. While in Brazil he played with such top artists as João Gilberto, Hermeto Pascoal, Chico Buarque de Holanda, Nana Caymmi, João Bosco, Johnny Alf, Nivaldo Ornellas, MPB-4, Helio Delmiro, Luis Bonfa, and many others.
In 1983 Nilson was invited to Japan to perform with singer Lisa Ono. Together they spent a year promoting Brazilian music. In 1984, while with drummer Pascoal Meirelles, Nilson founded the fusion band Cama De Gato.
Nilson moved to New York City in 1985. Since that time he has performed and recorded with such renowned artists as Joe Henderson, Paquito D'Rivera, Slide Hampton, Herbie Mann, Mark Murphy, Oscar Castro Neves, Don Friedman, Paul Winter, Claudio Roditi, Gato Barbieri, Yo Yo Ma, Kenny Barron and many others.
Five years after his move to the States, he co-founded an extraordinary quintet, The African Brazilian Connection, with pianist Don Pullen.
This group released three critically acclaimed CDs for Blue Note Records: Kele Mou Bana, Ode to Life and Live at Montreux Jazz Festival.
In 1993 Nilson returned to Brazil to record the CD, The Magic, with the great composer and guitarist Luis Bonfa.
Along with fellow Brazilians, Romero Lubambo and Duduka da Fonseca, Nilson founded Trio da Paz, one of the foremost Brazilian Jazz groups in the world. The trio has recorded five CDs; Brazil from the Inside, Black Orpheus, Partido Out, Caf.. and Somewhere. Their third release, Partido Out, won the 2002 Jazz Journalists Association Award for "The Best Brazilian Jazz Album of the Year".
From 1995 till 1998, Matta worked extensively with four time Grammy Award winning saxophonist Joe Henderson, recording on the Grammy award winning 1997 CD Joe Henderson Big Band for Verve Records.
In 2000 Nilson recorded his first CD as a leader, Encontro, with harmonica player Hendrik Meurkens.
With jazz pianist Kenny Barron he recorded a CD Canta Brasil and toured in Europe and USA.
In 2003 and 2004 he recorded 2 CDs with the virtuoso cellist Yo Yo Ma, Obrigado Brasil and Live at Zankel Hall (Carnegie Hall). Both were Grammy Awards winners.
Nilson recently performed on Nancy Wilson's CD, Turned to Blue for MCG Jazz with tenor sax player George Garzone for Venus Records in Japan.
In September 2006, Nilson released a CD for Blue Toucan Music, Nilson Matta & Friends - Walking With My Bass. It's a kind of autobiography project with a wide range of guests. Among them are Joao Bosco, Ivan Lins, Kenny Barron, Harry Allen, Rosa Passos, Robertinho Silva, Mauricio Einhorn, Joyce, Helio Alves, Filo Machado, Vic Juris and others.
Since 1997 Nilson teaches bass at Bass Collective in New York City
And at Montclair University in New Jersey.
"Nilson Matta is a powerhouse bass player"—Down Beat.
"Nilson is a virtuoso bassist" - Yo Yo Ma
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