Renato Martins

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years Active

1994–Presente

Genres

jazz, MPB, brazilian instrumental music, world music

Instruments

percussion, piano, drums, udu, cajon, acoustic guitar, cavaquinho, accordion, flute, saxophone, cello, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, flugelhorn

Biography

Renato Martins is a renowned Brazilian percussionist and multi-instrumentalist, recognized internationally as an innovator of Brazilian percussion. Born in Rio de Janeiro and raised in São Paulo, he began his musical studies at the age of four with piano and percussion, later delving into drums and jazz piano, as well as classical piano, composition, and conducting. His unique approach led him to create new techniques for traditional instruments like the udu and the cajon, and to incorporate everyday objects, such as kitchen utensils, into his performances, which earned him recognition from specialized media as a renovator of the genre.

Throughout his career, Renato Martins has collaborated with a vast array of prominent artists in Brazilian popular and instrumental music, including Duda Neves, Sergio Sa, Moacyr Luz, Sa & Guarabyra, Tom Da Terra, Paulo Moura, Andre Geraissati, and Nelson Faria, among many others. His versatility and mastery have led him to participate in major percussion festivals in Brazil and abroad, such as the Batuka! Brasil International Drum Festival and the Taiwan International Percussion Convention. Between 2009 and 2010, he joined Cirque Du Soleil as a percussionist for the show OVO, touring the United States and Canada.

Since 2004, Renato Martins has lived in Brussels, where he has expanded his work in the European jazz scene, forming the duo Boris Gaquere & Renato Martins. He is also dedicated to music education, teaching clinics and masterclasses at important schools and universities in Brazil and abroad, sharing his knowledge and inspiring new generations of musicians. His original work, such as the album "Indaiá" (2003), demonstrates the fusion of Brazilian rhythms with Latin, African, Indian, jazz, flamenco, and classical influences, cementing him as a vanguard artist and one of the most respected percussionists in the world.

Discography

• Simples (2024)