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Bobby Matos

1941 – 2017

American musician

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About Bobby Matos

Lived 1941 – 2017 (aged 75–76). Bobby Matos was an American jazz musician.

Bobby Matos (July 24, 1941 – November 11, 2017) was an American Latin jazz percussionist.

Life and career Bobby Matos was born in the Bronx, New York on July 24, 1941. He began playing music by hitting pots and pans in his grandmother's apartment. As a youth, he studied with conga drum masters Patato Valdez and Mongo Santamaría. While playing all over New York, he was encouraged to play timbales by Willie Bobo and Tito Puente and in the late 60s attended The New School and the Manhattan School of Music. Around this time, he recorded "My Latin Soul" for Phillips International Records, which made his reputation as a bandleader.

Matos toured and recorded with artists Ben Vereen, Bette Midler, Fred Neil, Jim Croce, Joe Loco, Ray Rivera, Miriam Makeba, and scores of others. He had an extensive discography and 5 critically acclaimed albums with Ubiquity Records. One of his last records was "Gratitude" on the LifeForce jazz label.

Bobby Matos died of cancer in Los Angeles, on November 11, 2017, at the age of 76.

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Important facts

Birth century
Died
2017
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Manhattan School of Music, The New School

People in Bobby Matos's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bobby Matos's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bobby Matos?

American musician

When was Bobby Matos born?

Bobby Matos was born on 24 July 1941.

When did Bobby Matos die?

Bobby Matos died in 2017.

What was Bobby Matos's occupation?

Bobby Matos was a jazz musician.

What nationality was Bobby Matos?

Bobby Matos was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bobby Matos

· Wikidata: Q4935336

· DBpedia: Bobby Matos

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bobby Matos. https://biography.guide/bobby-matos/

MLA: "Bobby Matos." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bobby-matos/.

Chicago: "Bobby Matos." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bobby-matos/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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