Humberto Araújo

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Genres

choro, samba, mpb, bossa nova, instrumental music

Instruments

saxophone, flute

Biography

Humberto de Araújo Reis Júnior is a prominent Brazilian saxophonist, flutist, arranger, composer, and producer, recognized as one of the finest saxophonists in the country. Born in Rio de Janeiro, he studied conducting at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) School of Music and refined his saxophone skills under the guidance of renowned masters like Paulo Moura and Nivaldo Ornellas. Throughout his career, he has earned prestigious nominations and awards, including the Latin Grammy Award and the Prêmio da Música Brasileira, alongside being honored for his cultural contributions to Rio de Janeiro.

By the early 1980s, Araújo established himself as a highly sought-after instrumentalist, lending his talent to approximately 1,000 recorded tracks and crafting over 300 arrangements and orchestrations. His extensive list of collaborations features legendary figures of Brazilian music such as Zeca Pagodinho, Martinho da Vila, Caetano Veloso, Chico Buarque, Maria Bethânia, and Paulinho da Viola, as well as international projects. As a solo artist and bandleader, he released notable albums including Choro Criolo in 2004, Sambas Instrumentais in 2009, and Subúrbio Bossanova with his Orquestra Criôla in 2014.

Relocating to Lisbon in 2017, Araújo continues his multifaceted career as a producer, instrumentalist, and artistic director of Oshun do Tejo Studio Productions. He has expanded his creative endeavors to collaborate with exceptional talents like Yamandu Costa and Rogério Skylab, while remaining an ardent champion of choro and Brazilian traditional music abroad.