Paulinho da Costa
Da Costa in 2008
Background information
Born	Paulo Roberto da Costa (1948-05-31)May 31, 1948 (age 77) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres	Jazz,Latin American music,rock,R&B,pop,adult contemporary,blues,country,disco,yacht rock
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Percussion
Years active	1952–present
Labels	A&M,Concord,Pablo
Website	paulinho.com

Paulo Roberto da Costa, popularly known asPaulinho da Costa (Portuguese pronunciation:[pawˈliɲudɐˈkɔʃtɐ], born May 31, 1948),^[1] is a Brazilianpercussionist. Beginning his career as asamba musician in Brazil, he moved to the United States in the early 1970s and worked with Brazilian bandleaderSérgio Mendes. He went on to perform with many American pop, rock and jazz musicians and participated in thousands of albums.DownBeat magazine call him "one of the most talented percussionists of our time."^[2] He played on such albums asEarth, Wind & Fire'sI Am,Madonna'sTrue Blue, hit singles and movie soundtracks, includingDirty Dancing andPurple Rain among others. He has also performed onGrammy-award winning albums and singles including USA for Africa's"We Are the World" (Album of the Year and Song of the Year),Dionne Warwick & Friends'"That's What Friends Are For" (Song of the Year),Michael Jackson’sThriller (Album of the Year),Celine Dion'sLet's Talk About Love (Album of the Year), theSaturday Night Fever soundtrack (Album of the Year),Anita Baker'sGiving You the Best That I Got (Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female, Best R&B Song, Album of the Year, Song of the Year)Gloria Gaynor’s "I Will Survive" (Best Disco Recording),Rufus and Chaka Khan’s "Ain't Nobody" (Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal),Red Hot Chili Peppers'Stadium Arcadium (Best Rock Album), among others. He has also performed withDiana Krall.

Da Costa plays more than 200 instruments professionally, and has worked in a variety ofmusic genres includingBrazilian,blues,Christian,country,disco,gospel,hip hop,jazz,Latin,pop,rhythm and blues,rock,soul, andworld music. He was signed toNorman Granz'sPablo Records for three of his solo albums,Agora,Happy People andSunrise, as well asBreakdown. Da Costa received the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences' Most Valuable Player Award for three consecutive years. He also received the Musicians Emeritus Award.^[2]

Da Costa will receive a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in 2026,^[3] and is the first Brazilian-born entertainer to receive a star.^[4]

Da Costa was born inIrajá, a neighborhood in the city ofRio de Janeiro, Brazil, and as a child began learning thepandeiro. He began performing in thesamba parades inRio de Janeiro and later joined the youth wing of Portela's Bateria, the rhythm section of asamba school. He became one of the most internationally known percussionists to emerge from the Samba Schools of Brazil (Escola de Samba).^[5] As a teen, da Costa traveled extensively with samba trios and quartets, Brazilian ensembles and Carnaval orchestras. His association with these groups offered him the opportunity to participate in music festivals around the world, in a troupe led by Jorge Goulart andNora Ney.^[6]

Da Costa further developed his musical ability after being exposed to jazz and Cuban music and expanded the range of percussion instruments he could play. He later toured Europe and the Middle East with a Brazilian ensemble together with Waldir Maia e Alcione in 1970.^[7] In 1972, Paulinho participated in theFestival Internacional da Canção in theMaracanãzinho, performing the songFio Maravilha, written about the soccer playerFio Maravilha, with Maria Alcina.

In 1972, da Costa moved toLos Angeles and played withSergio Mendes from 1973 until 1976. He was introduced toNorman Granz byDizzy Gillespie and was signed to Granz' label, Pablo Records. Da Costa's association with Granz andPablo Records made it possible for him to receive permanent resident status in the US.^[8] Da Costa went on to record three solo albums under Pablo Records.^[9]

While in Los Angeles, he also worked with other artists and gained notoriety. The first album he recorded in Los Angeles was with a group called theMiracles. He played on their number-one charting song, "Love Machine", in 1975. Da Costa coproducedElla Abraça Jobim withElla Fitzgerald. He also worked extensively withDizzy Gillespie,Joe Pass, andMilt Jackson.^[9] Moreover, Da Costa ventured into a variety of genres and recorded with artists such asEarth, Wind & Fire,Donna Summer,Tavares,Michael Jackson,Madonna,Rod Stewart,Lionel Richie andGloria Gaynor.

Da Costa toured with his band and performed atMontreux Jazz Festival in 1977.^[10]

TheAll Music Guide to Jazz: The Definitive Guide to Jazz Music describes da Costa as one of the most in-demand session musicians in Los Angeles studios since the 1970s. He has worked with more than 900 musical artists and bands, performing on drums, bells, whistles and other instruments. He played onDizzy Gillespie's albums includingFree Ride,Dizzy's Party andBahiana.^[11][12][13] Da Costa collaborated on producer and visionaryMaurice White andEarth, Wind & Fire's albums,All 'N All,I Am,Faces,Raise!,Powerlight,Millennium andIn the Name of Love.^{[14][15][16][17][18][19]} He also worked withThe Pointer Sisters and their producerRichard Perry on“He’s So Shy”, “Slow Hand”,^[20] “I'm So Excited”, “Jump (For My Love)” and “Neutron Dance”.

ProducerQuincy Jones chose da Costa to work on many projects, including the soundtracks forThe Wiz andThe Color Purple, as well as Jones's albumsThe Dude,Basie & Beyond,Back on the Block,Q's Jook Joint andFrom Q with Love.^{[21][22][23][24][25][26][27]} Da Costa was a regular on the albums that Jones produced, includingThe Brothers Johnson'sLight Up the Night,George Benson'sGive Me the Night,Donna Summer'sDonna Summer,Barbra Streisand'sTill I Loved You andUSA for Africa'sWe Are the World.^{[28][29][30][31][32]} Michael Jackson called on da Costa forOff the Wall,Thriller,Bad,Dangerous,HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I andInvincible.^{[33][34][35][36][37]}

Da Costa also performed on the albums of numerous Japanese performers, including jazz andJ-pop artistAnri (Coool and16th Summer Breeze),^[38][39] as well as jazz artistSadao Watanabe (The Best,Front Seat andSweet Deal),.^[40][41][42] In addition, da Costa appeared onHitomi Tohyama'sAfter 5:00 Story andImagination,^[43][44]Takeshi Itoh's Dear Hearts andBrues For Lee,^[45][46] andHiroshi Fukumura'sHunt Up Wind.^[47]

Da Costa left his mark on the film industry by contributing to various film scores such asAlly McBeal,Flashdance,Footloose,Selena,Sex and the City.^[9]

• 1973–1976 – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77
• 1977 – Montreux Jazz Festival (with da Costa's band)^[10]
• 1984 – Playboy Jazz Festival (with the Yellow Jackets)^[48]
• 1987 – The 1st Annual Soul Train Music Awards (with George Duke, David Sanborn, George Benson)
• 1988 – Rosemary Clooney "Singers' Salute to the Songwriters" Dorothy Chandler Pavilion^[49]
• 1990 – Lee Ritenour and Friends – Live from the Cocoanut Grove^[50]
• 1990 – Rainforest Foundation Benefit Performance at Ted Child's House (Sting, Paul Simon, Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Hornsby, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis)
• 1990 – Nelson Mandela – An International Tribute for a Free South Africa^[51]
• 1992 – Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (Lalo Shifrin Conductor)
• 1993 – Montreux Jazz Festival (George Duke, Al Jarreau)^[52]
• 1994 – The Kennedy Center Concert of the Americas with Quincy Jones, part of the Hemispheric Summit for all the Presidents of the Americas, 34 Countries, 150 performers^[53]
• 1995 – A Tribute toTom Jobim, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center (Lee Ritenour, Joao Gilberto, Caetano Veloso)^[54]
• 1996 – Lalo Schifrin Big Band Schifrin's tribute to Dizzy Gillespie – "The Gillespiana Suite"
• 1997 – Songs And Visions Concert, Wembley Stadium (Tony Hollingsworth, Stewart Levine, Rod Stewart, Jon Bon Jovi, Seal, Mary J. Blige )
• 2001 – Eric Clapton Tour^[55]
• 2001 – Diana Krall, Live in Paris, Olympia
• 2006 – JC Penney Jam Concert For America's Kids (Dr. Phil, David Foster)^[56]
• 2008 – Montreux Jazz Festival (Quincy's 75th Anniversary)^[57]
• 2008 – Diana Krall Live in Rio^[58]
• 2010 – Montreux Jazz Festival (Quincy Jones & The Global Gumbo All-Stars)^[59]
• 2010 – Herbie Hancock's Seven Decades at the Hollywood Bowl^[60]
• 2012 – Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival in Rabat, Morocco^[61]
• 2013 – Power of Love Gala, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center, MGM (Stevie Wonder, Jennifer Hudson, Chaka Khan, Bono, ChrisTucker, Amy Poehler, Arsenio Hall, Whoopi Goldberg)^[62]

• Kun, Josh, ed. (2017).The Tide Was Always High: The Music of Latin America in Los Angeles. University of California Press.ISBN 978-0-520-29440-0.

• Official website
• Paulinho da Costa discography atDiscogs
• Drummerworld.com: Paulinho da Costa

• 1948 births
• Living people
• Musicians from Rio de Janeiro (city)
• 20th-century Brazilian musicians
• 20th-century drummers
• 21st-century Brazilian musicians
• 21st-century Brazilian drummers
• A&M Records artists
• Afro-Brazilian people
• Batá drummers
• Bongo players
• Brazilian expatriates in the United States
• Brazilian jazz percussionists
• Brazilian people of African-American descent
• Brazilian percussionists
• Brazilian session musicians
• Castanets players
• Conga players
• Djembe players
• Güira players
• Güiro players
• Latin jazz percussionists
• Maracas players
• R&B percussionists
• Snare drummers
• Tambourine players
• Timbaleros

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