The Tommy Vibes Quartet

In 1992, Tom Mattioli earned a Bachelor of Music degree from UW-Madison and moved to Brooklyn, New York, to further his training in Afro-Caribbean percussion at The Harbor Conservatory. He studied timbales, piano, composition, and arranging with Johnny Almendra, José Madera, Victor Rendón and Francis Rodriguez. In 1996, he formed Grupo Latin Vibe with Anibal Tito Rivera. GLV became one of the most popular salsa bands in New York, recording three albums and touring the US, Italy, and the UK.

Tom was an adjunct percussion instructor at Hunter College in Manhattan for 20 years. He also led Rico Vibes, a Latin jazz group, and The Vibrojets, a surf rock/exotica band. Tom eventually moved back to his Madison roots and now plays with many local bands, including Steely Dane, Tony Castañeda’s Latin Jazz Sextet, and the Bill Roberts Combo.