Nilson Matta, born on March 1, 1949, in Brazil, is a bassist and composer known for his contributions to jazz music. He studied bass at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and began his career playing with notable Brazilian musicians. In 1985, Matta moved to New York City, collaborating with artists like Joe Henderson and Yo-Yo Ma. He co-founded the African Brazilian Connection with Don Pullen, releasing three albums on Blue Note Records, and formed Trio Da Paz, which produced five albums. Matta's work with Joe Henderson included the Grammy Award-winning Big Band (1996) album in 1998. He also contributed to Yo-Yo Ma's Grammy-winning projects Obrigado Brazil (2003) and Obrigado Brazil – Live in Carnegie Hall Concert (2004), leading to a two-year worldwide tour. Matta has released several albums under his own name, including Walking with My Bass in 2006 and Black Orpheus (2013).
