Pianist and composer Mateo Gloistein was born April 3, 1972 in San Francisco, California. Mateo grew up in the Bay Area where he took to music at a young age, composing for and leading his own group by age 12. As a teenager, Mateo studied piano, improvisation and songwriting with Gary Marks before attending the University of California at Berkeley. While at Berkeley, Mateo studied with Ghanean Master Drummer CK Ladzekpo. This experience had a profound impact on Mateo’s musical conception and helped lay the foundation for his rhythmic approach to music. At that time, he also began his studies of Afro-Cuban music and Jazz. Mateo now lives with his wife and two sons in the Philadelphia area where he teaches piano and performs with various ensembles including his own group .
