Paulinho da Costa

Brazilian musician

Paulinho da Costa

Paulinho da Costa in 2008

Background information
Birth name| Paulo Roberto da Costa
Born|  (1947-05-31) May 31, 1947 (age 77)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Genres| Jazz, Latin American music, rock, R&B, pop, adult contemporary, blues, country, disco
Occupation| Musician
Instrument| Percussion
Years active| 1958–present
Labels| A&M, Concord, Pablo
Website| paulinho.com

Musical artist

Paulinho da Costa (Portuguese pronunciation: [pawˈliɲu dɐ ˈkɔʃtɐ], born Paulo Roberto da Costa on May 31, 1947) is a Brazilian percussionist. Beginning his career as a samba musician in Brazil, he moved to the United States in the early 1970s and worked with Brazilian bandleader Sérgio 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."[1] He played on such albums as Earth, Wind & Fire's I Am, Michael Jackson's Thriller, Madonna's True Blue, Celine Dion's Let's Talk About Love, hit singles and movie soundtracks, including Saturday Night Fever, Dirty Dancing and Purple Rain among others. He has also toured with Diana Krall. He plays over 200 instruments professionally, and has worked in a variety of music genres including Brazilian, blues, Christian, country, disco, gospel, hip hop, jazz, Latin, pop, rhythm and blues, rock, soul, and world music. He was signed to Norman Granz's Pablo Records for three of his solo albums, Agora, Happy People and Sunrise, as well as Breakdown. 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.[1]

## Early life and career

[edit]

Da Costa was born in Irajá, a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and as a child began learning the pandeiro. He began performing in the samba parades in Rio de Janeiro and later joined the youth wing of Portela's Bateria, the rhythm section of a samba school. He became one of the most internationally known percussionists to emerge from the Samba Schools of Brazil (Escola de Samba).[2] 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 and Nora Ney.[3]

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.[4] In 1972, Paulinho participated in the Festival Internacional da Canção in the Maracanãzinho, performing the song Fio Maravilha, written about the soccer player Fio Maravilha, with Maria Alcina.

In 1972, da Costa moved to Los Angeles and played with Sergio Mendes from 1973 until 1976. He was introduced to Norman Granz by Dizzy Gillespie and was signed to Granz' label, Pablo Records. Da Costa's association with Granz and Pablo Records made it possible for him to receive permanent resident status in the US.[5] Da Costa went on to record three solo albums under Pablo Records.[6]

While in Los Angeles, da Costa also worked with other artists and gained notoriety. The first album he recorded in Los Angeles was with a group called the Miracles. He played on their number one charting song, "Love Machine", in 1975. Da Costa coproduced Ella Abraça Jobim with Ella Fitzgerald. He also worked extensively with Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Pass, and Milt Jackson.[6] Moreover, da Costa ventured into a variety of genres and recorded with artists such as Earth, Wind and Fire, Donna Summer, Tavares, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Lionel Richie and Gloria Gaynor.

Da Costa toured with his band and performed at Montreux Jazz Festival in 1977.[7]

## Session work

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The All 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's worked with more than 900 musical artists and bands, performing on over 200 drums, bells, whistles and other instruments. He played on Dizzy Gillespie's albums including Free Ride, Dizzy's Party and Bahiana.[8][9][10] He collaborated on producer and visionary Maurice White and Earth, Wind and Fire's albums, All 'N All, I Am, Faces, Raise!, Powerlight, Millennium and In the Name of Love.[11][12][13][14][15][16] Producer Quincy Jones chose da Costa to work on many projects, including the soundtracks for The Wiz and The Color Purple, as well as Jones's albums The Dude, Basie & Beyond, Back on the Block, Q's Jook Joint and From Q with Love.[17][18][19][20][21][22][23] Da Costa was a regular on the albums Jones produced, including The Brothers Johnson's Light Up the Night, George Benson's Give Me the Night, Donna Summer's Donna Summer, Barbra Streisand's Till I Loved You and USA for Africa's We Are the World.[24][25][26][27][28] Michael Jackson called on da Costa for Off the Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I and Invincible.[29][30][31][32][33] Da Costa also left his mark on the film industry by contributing to various film scores such as Ally McBeal, Flashdance, Footloose, Selena, Sex and the City.[6]

## Performances

[edit]

* 1973–1976 – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '77
* 1977 – Montreux Jazz Festival (with da Costa's band)[7]
* 1984 – Playboy Jazz Festival (with the Yellow Jackets) [34]
* 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[35]
* 1990 – Lee Ritenour and Friends – Live from the Cocoanut Grove[36]
* 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[37]
* 1992 – Music Center, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (Lalo Shifrin Conductor)
* 1993 – Montreux Jazz Festival (George Duke, Al Jarreau)[38]
* 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[39]
* 1995 – A Tribute to Tom Jobim, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center (Lee Ritenour, Joao Gilberto, Caetano Veloso)[40]
* 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[41]
* 2001 – Diana Krall, Live in Paris, Olympia
* 2006 – JC Penney Jam Concert For America's Kids (Dr. Phil, David Foster)[42]
* 2008 – Montreux Jazz Festival (Quincy's 75th Anniversary)[43]
* 2008 – Diana Krall Live in Rio[44]
* 2010 – Montreux Jazz Festival (Quincy Jones & The Global Gumbo All-Stars)[45]
* 2010 – Herbie Hancock's Seven Decades at the Hollywood Bowl[46]
* 2012 – Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival in Rabat, Morocco[47]
* 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)[48]

## Discography

[edit]

* Agora (Pablo, 1977)
* Tudo Bem! (with Joe Pass) (Pablo, 1978)
* Happy People (Pablo, 1979)
* Paulinho da Costa (Globo, 1984)
* Sunrise (Pablo, 1984)
* Breakdown (A&M, 1991)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Lloyd, Robin (4 April 2013). "Prolific percussion master Paulinho da Costa". KPLU. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
2. ^ Lopes, Nei (8 July 2014). Enciclopédia brasileira da diáspora africana. Selo Negro Edições. pp. 506–. ISBN 978-85-87478-99-3. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
3. ^ Essinger, Silvio (25 November 2012). "Paulinho da Costa, o músico brasileiro que tocou em 'Thriller'". Globo.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
4. ^ "Alcione 1: não deixe o jazz morrer, não deixe o blues acabar…". eduardonunomura.wordpress.com. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
5. ^ Hershorn, Tad (2011). Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice. University of California Press. p. 304\. ISBN 978-0-520-26782-4.
6. ^ a b c Kun 2017, p. [page needed].
7. ^ a b "PAULINHO DA COSTA, July 15, 1977, Montreux Casino". Montreaux Jazz Live. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
8. ^ "Free Ride". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
9. ^ "Dizzy's Party". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
10. ^ "Bahiana". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
11. ^ "Faces". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
12. ^ "I Am". All Music. Archived from the original on 30 December 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
13. ^ "Raise". All Music. Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
14. ^ "Powerlight". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
15. ^ "Millennium". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
16. ^ "In the Name of Love". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
17. ^ Jones, Quincy (2002). Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. Three Rivers Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-7679-0510-7.
18. ^ "The Wiz". All Music. Archived from the original on 11 October 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
19. ^ "The Dude". All Music. Archived from the original on 14 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
20. ^ "Basie & Beyond". All Music. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
21. ^ "Back on the Block". All Music. Archived from the original on 12 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
22. ^ "Q's Jook Joint". All Music. Archived from the original on 28 November 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
23. ^ "From Q With Love". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
24. ^ "Light Up The Night". All Music. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
25. ^ "Give Me the Night". All Music. Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
26. ^ "Donna Summer". All Music. Archived from the original on 15 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
27. ^ "Till I Loved You". All Music. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
28. ^ "USA For Africa: We Are the World". All Music. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
29. ^ "Off the Wall". All Music. Archived from the original on 13 March 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
30. ^ "Thriller". All Music. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
31. ^ "Bad". All Music. Archived from the original on 24 June 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
32. ^ "Dangerous". All Music. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
33. ^ "HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I". All Music. Archived from the original on 18 January 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
34. ^ "Yellowjackets History". Yellowjackets.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
35. ^ Oates, Marylouise (April 1, 1988). "Old Friends, Singers Salute the Songwriters". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
36. ^ "Lee Ritenour and Friends – Live from the Cocoanut Grove". DVD.net.au. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
37. ^ "Nelson Mandela: An International Tribute for a Free South Africa". Tony Hollingsworth. Archived from the original on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
38. ^ "Al Jarreau, July 06, 1993, Stravinski Auditorium". Montreaux Jazz Live. Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
39. ^ "Concert of the Americas". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
40. ^ "Cover:Cover". Brazzil.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
41. ^ "The Band". Eric-Clapton.co.uk. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
42. ^ "Corazon Partio". fozfan.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
43. ^ "QUINCY'S 75th BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION, July 14, 2008, Stravinski Auditorium". Montreaux Jazz Live. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
44. ^ "Diana Krall: Live In Rio". All About Jazz. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
45. ^ "Quincy Jones & the Global Gumbo All-Stars, July 16, 2010, Stravinski Auditorium". Montreaux Jazz Live. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
46. ^ "Herbie Hancock: Seven Decades – the Birthday Celebration". Hollywood Bowl. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
47. ^ "Quincy Jones to Lead Historic Concert to Promote Peace During Morocco's Annual Mawazine Music Festival". The Urban Music Scene. 16 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 February 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
48. ^ Gunderson, Edna (April 14, 2013). "Quincy Jones, Michael Caine toasted at birthday benefit". USA Today. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

## Sources

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

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Paulinho da Costa discography at Discogs
* Drummerworld.com: Paulinho da Costa

* v
* t
* e

Paulinho da Costa

Studio albums|

* Agora (1977)
* Tudo Bem! (1978)
* Happy People (1979)
* Sunrise (1984)
* Breakdown (1991)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* France
* BnF data
* Czech Republic
* Spain
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Finland

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

Other|

* IdRef

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