Acclaimed pianist and singer Abelita Mateus hails from São Paulo, Brazil and is passionate about Brazilian music and jazz. She began classical piano studies in her teens, and gradually developed a passion for jazz, which brought her to the U.S. to pursue her Master in Jazz Performance at William Paterson University. In Brazil she performed with such great artists as Vinicius Dorin, Raul de Souza and Hermeto Pascoal.

In 2018, her second album "Mixed Feelings" was nominated for a Grammy in three categories; Best Latin Jazz Album, Best Engineered Album-Non-Classical, and Best Instrumental Composition. Mateus is currently the pianist for the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience, directed by Dizzy Gillespie alumni John Lee.