Claudio Mastracci's experience as a drummer and producer, has made him a well-rounded artist. He plays and records all styles of music from jazz, funk, latin, brazilian, pop and R&B. Therefore his extensive studio career has allowed him to gain the knowledge and expertise needed to support and enhance any project.
Claudio is the Italian representative and teacher for the Drummers and Bass Collective of New York City. He is an active member of the Collective and also collaborates with DCI Video (today's HUDSON Music) and Warner Bros.. It´s a separate division dedicated to the production of instructional educational music videos. Moreover he has translated DCI's top-selling drum videos as well as guitar, bass and harmonica subtitled editions for the Italian market.
Claudio is the director of the drum faculty and instructor for the Advanced Drum Study at the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome. He teaches master classes and has numerous private students. In addition, he is an appreciated teacher, writer and consultant for Italian Drum Club Magazine.
Further Claudio has played in the orchestra for the Channel 5 production of La Corrida. This is a prime time variety show, which aired in Italy and several European countries in 2003 and 2002. Previously he played for the same TV production in the 1997, 1995, 1992 and 1991 editions. Furthermore he played for all the major television shows broadcast worldwide: Assisi: Concerto per la Pace 2003, Davids of Donatello '98, Fantastico…. …Scommettiamo Che? '93 and '94, L'Altra Domenica, San Remo Festival, L.Tenco Prize '98, Vela D'Oro-Riva Del Garda, Domenica In, and many others.
As a sideman Claudio has recorded and toured with many pop artists such as Fabio Concato, Sergio Caputo, Eduardo De Crescenzo, Michael Bolton, Lucio Dalla, Andrea Bocelli, Amy Stewart, Albano, Mike Francis, Rettore, Patty Pravo, Dionne Warwick and Loredana Bertè. Furthermore artists like Renato Zero, Cristian De Sica, Gigi Proietti, Renzo Arbore, Mario Lavezzi, and others crossed his path.
After eighteen years of playing and recording in Europe, Claudio Mastracci moved to New York City from Italy in 1987. His reason was to consolidate his knowledge of jazz. Over the years he has recorded and played with such artists as Gilberto Gil, Randy Brecker, Scott Henderson, S.Caputo feat. Dizzie Gillespie, Oscar Valdambrini, Dino and Franco Piana, Irio De Paula, Ronnie Cuber, Carl Anderson, Mark Soskin, Toto Torquati, and others.
As a sideman again, he has recorded and played in numerous television productions and jazz festivals. There he played with big bands and orchestras under the direction of Italy's most famed arrangers. His list includes among others Gianni Ferrio, Bruno Canfora, Roberto Pregadio, Pippo Caruso, Mario Natale, Gianfranco Lombardi andMarco Tiso.
A few words on "Two Worlds"- The Claudio Mastracci Quartet. Following over twenty years of international recordings, covering all genres of jazz from acoustic to latin, fusion and funk, drummer Claudio Mastracci leads the outstanding talent of three other jazz musicians in the making of his first CD as a leader, "Two Worlds". The foursome includes Harvie Swartz on upright bass, Joey Calderazzo on piano and Rick Margitza on saxophones. The notion of fusing these four solid performers was initiated by the visionary efforts of Mastracci. Well familiar with the work of his fellow players, Claudio realized the potential for a unique sound.