Mario C
| Mario Caldato Jr. | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | Mario C. |
| Born |
February 24, 1961 São Paulo, Brazil |
| Occupation(s) | Producer, engineer, mixing |
| Instruments | Keyboard, Bass, other misc. instruments |
| Associated acts |
Beastie Boys, Jack Johnson, Marcelo D2, Seu Jorge |
| Website | marioc.com |
Mario Caldato Jr. (also known as Mario C.) is a Brazilian/American record producer and studio engineer best known for his work with Beastie Boys and Jack Johnson in the US, and with Marcelo D2 and Seu Jorge in Brazil. He is the winner of three Latin Grammys to date, along with several nominations and multi-platinum and gold records to his credit.
Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Mario Caldato Jr. is the son of Italian father Mario, Sr. and Brazilian mother Guiomar. In 1963 Mario and his family moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles. As a young boy, Caldato received a Sears Silvertone organ as a gift from his father, and then a piano a few years later. Soon after he began taking classical music lessons. These lessons came to an abrupt end when he was slapped by his teacher for not practicing. The incident did not however deter Caldato's budding interest in pop music. He was further inspired by a 1972 performance by Duke Ellington at El Camino College in Torrance, California.
As a teenager Caldato played keyboards and percussion in various local bands including Soul Sticks, Wake, Phaze, Phaze II, and The Jungle Bugs. In 1979 he purchased a cassette deck and recorded the band of his friend "Money" Mark Nishita at Harbor College in Wilmington CA. After building a home recording studio with Nishita and then visiting Jamaica for 1983's Reggae Sunsplash Festival, he then produced The Jungle Bugs' 7" single and then an EP for Alice I Wonder with the help of Brian "Sly" Foxworthy.
In 1985, Caldato started a PA and DJ rental company with Mike Nishita, brother of "Money" Mark Nishita. A year later he met DJ Matt Dike at legendary downtown L.A. nightclub Power Tools. At Dike's request, Caldato built a recording studio in Dike's Hollywood apartment, transforming a closet into a vocal booth. It was at Dike's home studio that Caldato engineered and helped co-produce Tone Loc and Young MC's hit singles and albums for Dike and Mike Ross' label Delicious Vinyl. It was also at Dike's apartment that Caldato first met the New York rap group Beastie Boys.
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