Angel David Mattos
Angel David was born in 1966 in Puerto Rico where he started his musical training from an early age. Graduated with honors from the San Juan School of Music in 1984. He went to the United States for his advanced studies in music. At the University of Illinois he majored in Music Educationand Jazz Piano Performance with professor Tony Caramia. Angel David graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1988.
Since 1988 Angel David has performed in studio sessions and live performances with major figures such as Dave Valentin, Alex Acuña, Bob Mintzer, John Benitez, Mike Stern, Antonio Sanchez, Claudio Roditti ,Giovanie Hidalgo, David Sanchez, Eddie Gomez, Humberto Ramirez, Jon Lucien, Luis "Perico" Ortiz among others.
Angel David was awarded by Berklee College of Music with the Outstanding Musician award in 1995, 1996 and 2000.
In 1999 Angel David presented his first CD as leader ; PRELUDIO. This Jazz Fusion project was greatly acclaimed in major music and jazz publications such as Modern Drummer and Jazzreview.com.
Angel David has also performed in the classical area. He has given solo recitals in major theaters of Puerto Rico. At the present he is the pianist of the Bayamon Symphony with who he performs a very unique version of George Gershwin´s Rhapsody in Blue, where he incorporates a jazz trio within the piano cadenzas.
Angel David´s 2nd CD, Danzzaj, is a Latin Jazz Fusion concept which combines Puerto Rican Danza with jazz harmony and language in a very interesting way. Danzzaj is by far the best and most creative jazz album ever recorded by a Puerto Rican pianist. Berklee College of Music invited him to performed at this famous jazz institution during the Latin Culture Week in November 2006. Angel David also participated in a discusion panel about the future of Latin jazz education at Berklee.
In 2008 Angel David comes back with another amazing recording. Traditions presents both, Puerto Rican folkloric music and jazz, united in one concept. Paquito D´Rivera (clarinet), Bob Mintzer (sax and bass clarinet), Oscar Stagnaro (bass), Hector Matos (drums), Aldemar Valentin (bass) and Ricardo Pons (flute) join Angel David in this project.
He is member of the music faculty of the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, where he teaches advanced jazz classes and groups.