Matteo Mancuso hails from the far-away island of Sicily, nestled in the Mediterranean Sea to the South of Italy. The island has always had a rich cultural heritage, from poets, writers, philosophers, and architects to painters and musicians. Born in 1996 and raised just outside the capital Palermo, the pedigree runs deep in the veins of those from the region. Had his family relocated to the US, he might be the best-kept secret in the lineage of great Italian-American players like Zappa, Vai, Satriani, Di Meola, Petrucci and Gambale.


During the 1970s, his father, Vincenzo Mancuso, made a name for himself as a gifted session player on the domestic scene, and the young Matteo looked up to him as a primary source of inspiration. While still in high school (music), he picked up classical guitar and transverse flute. It didn't take long for everyone to understand that a child prodigy was blooming.


At the age of 12, Matteo took his first steps onto the stage at a local jazz festival. Since then, his acquaintance with live performances has seen him blossom and develop through various line-ups and collaborations with the finest local musicians, including a duo with his father, where they explore the complexities of Django Reinhart's repertoire and contemporary jazz classics.


As a multi-faceted player, either classical or electric, what is astounding is his one-of-a-kind technique and use of his fingers instead of regular picking. With an impressive tone, original sound, and humble demeanour, you have the guitarist no one has ever seen and whose talent puts him in a different league.


As a YouTube sensation, his channel is now at 178k subscribers, most comments come from all over the world, and his international fanbase keeps growing as people catch wind of something new in the guitar world. Many of the world's most iconic, ground-breaking and legendary players are declaring Matteo as a force to be reckoned with, from Dweezil Zappa to Joe Bonamassa, Steve Vai to Al Di Meola and Tosin Abasi.



"The evolution of guitar is firmly secure in the hands of these kind of players… it's just a new level, the tone, the touch, the notes!" - Steve Vai

"An absolute talent; his improvisational ability is light years ahead. It would take two or three lifetimes. It was like when Jacko (Pastorius) came on the scene…how did he get so good and so fast?" - Al Di Meola


"There's this Italian kid on the internet; his name is Matteo Mancuso. He's 20 or something. I mean, he's a virtuoso beyond virtuosos." - Tosin Abasi


"All the kids are talking about it, and I blanked when answering who my new favourite guitarist is... here he is, Matteo Mancuso. I have not seen anyone reinvent like this since Stanley Jordan" - Joe Bonamassa