In early 2020 the Mateo & Dougan Band released "Time to Fly" an album of songs by Carl Mateo in collaboration with his longtime partner in live music guitarist Peter Dougan.

From the Catskills and the Hudson Valley, Woodstock and Saugerties, NY,  from hymns both to the light and to the Devil “hiding in the courtyard” the Mateo & Dougan Band play roots and groove-oriented music steeped in Americana and tinged with gospel, latin and reggae influences.. Their new release, Time to Fly, features original songs by Carl Mateo, (piano, guitar, keys, harmonica, vocals) and emotive guitar work by Peter Dougan. The rhythm section features the steady pulse of drummer Eric Parker (Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Reed, Bob Weir and Kingfish), and the supple bass of Kyle Esposito (Dylan Doyle, Connor Kennedy, Duke McVinnie). Ian Flanigan and Ava Mateo provide harmonies. 

Carl Mateo is a local singer songwriter  with deep roots in the Hudson Valley, NY. Informed by the Americana songwriting tradition Carl renders soulful and emotive performances utilizing guitar, piano and harmonica with honest songs exploring his relationship to the valley and to many of the friends, family and strangers who have settled and/or passed through this legendary part of the country. Time to Fly’s songs range from the struggle to find peace in “Seventeen Years,” to escaping and embracing the world in “Lay Down”; from seeking a return to innocence in “Devil’s in the Courtyard,” to celebrating lifelong love in “Hey English.” “I’ll be Waiting” is the haunting lament of a man who knows he’s done wrong, while the rocking gospel-tinged “Revelator” takes inspiration from Son House’s acappella version of the traditional “John the Revelator.” “Lullabye Moon,” with its funky guitar and harp, is a young man’s rave upon the mountain, while “Jake and the Bean” is an ode to a lost friend in a neighborhood seeing some rough times. The title cut, “Time to Fly” is a release and a recognition, a waving of the arms to spread the sky. 

As a solo artist and band member, Carl Mateo has shared the stage with performers such as John Hammond Jr, Jorma Kaukonen, Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, Suzanne Vega, Larry Campbell, David Johansen, John Doe and X, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, David Bromberg.. He’s worked venues such as Levon Helm Studios and the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY, the Knitting Factory and CBGB'S Gallery in NYC, the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA, and Cafe Lena in Saratoga, NY. On the Hudson Valley’s WKZE, Mateo's solo release, "Big White House", made Off-the-Beat-n-Track Radio Show’s Top Ten Independent Recordings of the Year list. Carl is a long standing member of the underground roots psychedelic band "Hooligan". 

Peter Dougan is a left handed acoustic and electric guitar player who shares his deep knowledge and love of music theory and Americana as a music educator at the Woodstock Rock Academy and Woodstock Day School.  Peter studied Jazz Guitar in graduate school at Berklee and has played with the seminal Ithaca, band, Mectapus, Gene Ween, Jay Collins and the Northern Resistance. He has shared the stage with greats such as Larry Campbell, Happy Traum, Marco Benevento, Amy Helm, and John Hammond Jr. 

Mateo engineered and produced Time to Fly in his project studio, Big Blue, in Saugerties, NY and mixed the album at Area 52 Studios with Dave Cook, whose credits include the B-52’s, 10,000 Maniacs, Graham Parker, Suzanne Vega, and Joe Henry and many more.. 

Eric Parker has performed and recorded as an elite drummer with Joe Cocker, Steve Winwood, Phillip Glass, Ian Hunter, Bonnie Raitt, Lou Reed, Bob Weir and Kingfish, Cornell Dupree, John Hall and countless other artists both in the studio and on the road. Eric is also a songwriter and producer with major credits to his name.He is one of the Parker brothers, a re-known local Woodstock artist family with four pro drummers in their ranks. 

Kyle Esposito is a Woodstock live and session musician on bass and guitar and is a band leader/singer songwriter and producer in his own right.  Kyle has played and recorded with Dylan Doyle, The Meg Johnson Band, The Connor Kennedy Band, Naked, Nelson Esposito Quintana, Duke McVinnie, Tim Kapeluk and Sara Kramer Harris to name a few. 

Dave Cook is a sound engineer who moved to Woodstock in 1985. Shortly after moving to the Catskills, Dave became the Chief Engineer at Dreamland Studios Dave’s discography and live audio work is extensive. Truly one of the great engineers in the Woodstock scene and beyond, 

Download a free copy of Time to Fly using the link above. Time to Fly is also  available worldwide on multiple platforms, including Tidal, Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music Amazon music.