Live Human's percussionist Albert Mathias is the polar opposite of a drum machine. His beats, well, are live and human.

Mathias started playing at age 9, and went on to study at Ali Akbar College of Music, and later California Institute of Arts, where he learned traps, tabla, voice and accompaniment. He also studied under Sri Ravi Bellar and Swapan Chauduri, learning classical North Indian percussion, and with Tony Williams, learning snare drum technique.

In 1993, Mathias moved to San Francisco, where he joined Contraband where also bassist Andrew Kushin (a partner from Live Human) played. He also played loosely with several other Bay Area musicians. Later, also working with Kushin and Saxophonist Charles Sharp in the jazz trio Thread.

Audited September 16, 2002