Nelson Gonzalez
Percussion, Timbal
Nelson Mathew Gonzalez is a Bronx native - raised in a musical family. His grandfather, Benny Ayala, is a seasoned Plenero composer and folklorist. As a young child, Matthew was surrounded by Afro-Caribbean rhythms and Puerto Rican folkloric music. He began to formally study music at the Harbor Conservatory in East Harlem, New York at age 11. Mathew is equally gifted as a dancer and has been a member of Danza Fiesta for over 20 years. He has performed with many folkloric, Salsa, and Latin Jazz artists including Los Pleneros de las 21, Ilu Aye, Alma Moyo, Richie Ray y Bobby Cruz, Hector Tricoche, Ray de la Paz, William Cepeda, and Bobby Sanabria to name a few. In early 2018, Mathew started his own band called Kinto Zono which brings the sounds of an 11-piece orchestra with 2 brass, piano, bass, and percussion for a more modern Bomba y Plena sound. Mathew is now a member of the LATIN HEARTBEAT ORCHESTRA.
