JAZZ IS NOW

About Me

Adriana Mateo is an award-winning jazz photographer, documentarian, and storyteller. A graduate of New York University and based in the city since 1990, she was honored with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2019 Photographer of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association.

Inspired by her father's filmmaking career, Adriana transitioned from feature films to focus her lens on the soul of jazz. She served as the personal photographer for NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath, Cedar Walton, and Roy Hargrove. Her foundational project, AM JAZZ: Three Generations Under My Lens, is a comprehensive archive preserved in permanent museum collections. She holds the distinction of being the first female contemporary jazz photographer to have her work acquired by a museum.

"My inspiration stems from the unspoken connection between musician and audience. I aim to freeze the profound emotion of a live performance, so its spirit can be felt long after the final note fades."

adrianamateo@gmail.com

AWARDS

2024 - Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Photography, Jazz Journalists Association, USA.

2019 - Best Photographer of the Year & Photo of the Year, Jazz Journalists Association.

2019 - Finalist, World Jazz Photo Competition, Prague, Czech Republic (Awarded with Exhibition).

EXHIBITIONS

2026- THE JUILLIARD SCHOOL OF MUSIC ‘GENERATIONS IN JAZZ :The Bridge between The Masters and The Future”, NEW YORK, NEW YORK.

2025- ASOCIACION PESTALOZZI, Educational Exhibit”, Buenos Aires, Argentina:  AM Jazz “Three generations Under The Lens”: This is an educational exhibition, the "Pestalozzi Association" , an Argentine prestigious educational institution rooted in the pedagogical ideas of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi who was a Swiss pedagogue known for his focus on education for developing teaching methods that sought the holistic development of children.

2024 - ESPACIO HUSSEK ART GALLERY, Buenos Aires, Argentina: SOLO EXHIBIT “NEW YORK JAZZ GENERATIONS.”

2023 - BEBOP JAZZ CLUB, Buenos Aires, Argentina: SOLO EXHIBITION OF ROY HARGROVE “Una Mirada.”

2019 - FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE JAZZ DE PUNTA DEL ESTE, Uruguay: Exhibition & book presentation in South America.

2018 - BAYERISCHEN-HOF HOTEL, Munich, Germany: Solo exhibition.

2018 - MUSEO di PALAZZO della PENNA, Perugia Umbria, Italy: Solo exhibition.

2017 - MUSEUM PALAZZO DELLA PENNA, Perugia, Italy: "L'Immagine del Suono” exhibition.

2017 - WBGO Jazz Public Radio from the Jazz Capital of the World, New York City, USA: "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" exhibition.

2016 - NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL, Newport, USA: AM JAZZ “Three Generations Under The Lens" book presentation.

2016 - THE JAZZ GALLERY, New York, USA: "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" book release and exhibition.

2015 - PALAZZO MORONI, COMUNE DI PADOVA, Padova, Italy: "AM JAZZ Three Generations Under The Lens" book release and exhibition.

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Poster for a jazz music event titled 'New York Jazz Generations' featuring photos of a saxophonist, a close-up of a woman's face, and the Statue of Liberty, with event details including date, time, performers, and location.
Poster advertising an exhibition of Adriana Mateo's photography about Roy Hargrove, running from November 10 to February 28 at Bebop Club in Palermo, with an image of a person playing the trumpet.

FIRST EXHIBITION OF A PRIVATE COLLECTION OF ROY HARGROVE ( 1966-2018) , BEBOP CLUB, BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing sunglasses and a white shirt, smiling at the camera. In the lower left corner, there is an award certificate for the 2024 JJA Jazz Awards, presented by the Jazz Journalists Association, awarded to Adriana Mateo for career excellence in photography.

2024 JAZZ JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN JAZZ PHOTOGRAPHY