Mat Marucci
Mathew "Mat" Roger Marucci III (born July 2, 1945) is an American jazz drummer, composer, author, educator and clinician. He has numerous critically acclaimed recordings as leader, and his performing credits include Jimmy Smith, Kenny Burrell, James Moody, Eddie Harris, Buddy De Franco, Les McCann, Pharoah Sanders, and John Tchicai among others. Marucci was born in Rome, New York into a musical family with professional histories on both sides. His sister, Mena Marucci Colella, was a concert pianist, and his brother, Ed Marucci, was a professional trumpeter. Marucci was classically trained on the piano and switched to drums  at the age of 19. After graduating high school from St. Aloysius Academy in 1963, he studied drums with Dick Howard in Auburn, New York, from 1964–1965. At Auburn Community College, he received a degree in Business Management in 1965. Marucci relocated to the West Coast in 1969. Attending Sacramento City College, he received his Associate of Arts Degree in Music in 1973. He has lived between New York City, Los Angeles and Sacramento since that time. In addition to recording and performing, Marucci has authored several books on drumming for both Ashley publications and Mel Bay Publications. His recordings  and books have garnered four and five star reviews in "Jazz Times", "Jazziz", "Modern Drummer", "Downbeat" and "Drum!" magazines. Additionally, Marucci has written numerous articles on drumming for "Modern Drummer" and "Downbeat" magazines, and for the Percussive Arts Society's Percussive Notes. He has also written articles for several prominent jazz websites including AllAboutJazz.com. Contributing to jazz education, Marucci has been an Adjunct Professor in the Los Rios Community College District in the Sacramento area. He was also an Applied Music Instructor at American River College, Sacramento, California and at the Jazzschool, Berkeley, California and an Applied Drumset Instructor at  the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society. He married his wife, Diane, in 1982. They have a son, Mathew Roger IV, born 1986, a semi-professional drummer; and a daughter, Therese Renee, born 1989, an amateur pianist and flutist.