Mario Cotto

Mario Cotto

Host of Mario Cotto

Host/Guest

Working as a KCRW DJ is a dream come true for Mario Cotto, a preacher’s kid from North Philadelphia.

A former middle school teacher and improviser, Mario moved to LA to pursue a career in sketch comedy. He started volunteering at KCRW, assisting longtime DJ's Eric J. Lawrence, Jason Bentley, Chris Douridas and Tom Schnabel. Once Mario realized he was spending more time at the station than at the theater, he knew this was where he belonged.

His first 5 records were Menudo's Quiero Rock, Michael Jackson's  Thriller, The Beatles' Rubber Soul, Michael W. Smith's Project and -- unbeknownst to his parents -- The Beastie Boys' License to Ill.


His sound is inspired by; strong coffee, Marcel Duchamp’s ready-mades, the NuYorican Poet’s Café, SAMO, Philadelphia’s Making Time,  Blade Runner, golden-age hip hop, Manchester, Repo Records, arroz con pollo, shell-top sneakers with New Yorker laces, ESPO, Tristan Tzara’s 1918 manifesto, breakfast cereal, comic books, and metropolitan railways.

Mario Cotto on KCRW

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

Mario Cotto's playlist, September 6, 2020

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

from Mario Cotto

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

Mario Cotto's playlist, August 23, 2020

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

from Mario Cotto

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

Mario Cotto's playlist, July 19, 2020

A kaleidoscopic Dada dance party!

from Mario Cotto

More from KCRW

House, disco, trip hop, oldies and all of the deep cuts in between.

from SiLVA

Corinne Bailey Rae: Live From Apogee Studio and San Fernando Valley Young Creators The Lemonfrogs are just a couple of the exciting happenings for this MBE.

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

This week we celebrate the undiscovered musical talent (under 21) in the greater LA area culled from a couple of hundred submissions to KCRW’s Young Creators Project .

from Today's Top Tune

Dance the night away to classic B-52’s and so much more with KCRW DJ SiLVA on the decks.

from FREAKS ONLY

Are you as excited for Chicano Batman’s new LP “Notebook Fantasy” (out this Friday) as we are?

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

New releases in all genres.

from Chris Douridas

Remi Wolf’s new LP “Big Ideas” is coming on July 12 and we’re gearing up by spinning her just-dropped single “Cinderella.”

from Morning Becomes Eclectic

Wyldeflower returns and she’s spinning “What About The Children” — a brand new collab between Gary Clark Jr. and Stevie Wonder(!).

from FREAKS ONLY