Nilson Matta studied bass at the University of Rio de Janeiro with Sandrino Santoro. While in Brazil, he played and recorded with the most popular artists of Brazilian popular music, such as: Hermeto Pascoal, Helio Delmiro, Nivaldo Ornelas, Joao Gilberto, Luis Bonfa, Leny Andrade, Nana Caymmi, Roberto Carlos, Joćo Bosco, Chico Buarque and Johnny Alf. Throughout the 70's and 80's, Matta played an important role in the development of Brazilian instrumental music by conducting workshops around Brazil.
To divulge Brazilian music, Matta moved to Japan and toured with singer Lisa Ono in 1983. Two years later, he moved to New York City. Since then he has been playing and recording, with such renowned artists as Gato Barbieri, Paquito D'Rivera, Slide Hampton, David Murray, Claudio Roditi, Dory Caymmi, Herbie Mann, Toots Thielemans, Oscar Castro Neves and Ivan Lins.
In 1990, he co-founded with pianist Don Pullen an extraordinary quintet: The African-Brazilian Connection. The quintet has already released three CDs, Kele Mou Bana, Ode to Life, and the third one recorded live at Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, all of them by Blue Note Records. In 1992, he recorded The Magic CD with great composer and guitarist Luis Bonfa. Matta is also one of the members of Trio da Paz. The Trio has recorded two CDs, Brazil from The Inside released by Concord Records and Black Orpheus, a Kokopelli Records release.
Since 1995 Matta has been playing with three-time Grammy Award sax-player Joe Henderson. He plays acoustic bass, electric six-stringed bass by Carvin, and the Vertical electric upright bass. Currently, Matta is teaching at Bass Collective in New York City along with John Patitucci, Victor Bailey, Victor Wooten and Lincoln Goines.

Biography courtesy of Colori e Musica Production.