b. Paulo Roberto da Costa, 31st May 1948, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The Brazilian-born Paulinho Da Costa, is a highly talented percussionist and became one of the most in-demand session men in Los Angeles' busy recording studios in the late 1970's and early 1980's.
Paulinho started playing his instruments at age seven, eventually accumulating over 200 drums, bells, whistles and other percussion instruments.
Prior to leaving Brazil, he toured the world with various Brazilian ensembles and even danced with samba groups.
Upon settling in the U.S. in 1973, he joined Sergio Mendes and Brasil '77 for four years (1973-1977), and in his spare time, recorded with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie (including the notorious disco album Dizzy's Party), Milt Jackson, Joe Pass and Freddie Hubbard.
Soon the recording studios beckoned full-time, and Da Costa was in demand for all kinds of recording gigs, playing on albums by Herbie Hancock, Ahmad Jamal, Nancy Wilson and Ella Fitzgerald, among many others.
Da Costa has also recorded sporadically as a leader for the Pablo label.
Paulinho Da Costa's output is so prolific that, if you were to look at a box of corn flakes in your kitchen cupboard, Paulinho Da Costa would have a credit in making them, somewhere!
Albums:
Agora (Original Jazz Records 1976)
Happy People (Pablo Records 1979)
Tudo Bem! (Pablo Records 1982)
You've Got a Special Kind of Love (Pablo Records 1984)
Sunrise (Pablo Records 1984)
Breakdown (A&M Records 1987)
Real Love (A&M Records 1991)
