Romero Lubambo

The world's most in-demand bossa nova guitarist, Romero Lubambo has performed and recorded with Astrud Gilbert, Ivan Lins, Ana Karam, Airto Moreira, Al Jarreau, Grover Washington Jr., Michael Brecker and many others.

Born in Rio de Janeiro in 1955, Romero Lubambo studied classical piano and music theory as a young boy. From the time he played his first notes on the guitar at age thirteen, he devoted himself to that instrument. Lubambo graduated from the Villa-Lobos School of Music in Rio in 1978, a top student of classical guitar. In 1980 he received a degree in mechanical engineering from the Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro.

The rhythms and melodies defining Brazilian music and American jazz fascinated Lubambo. He taught himself through intense research and practice, developing exceptional skill, versatility and fluency in both jazz and Brazilian idioms.

In 1985 he left Brazil for New York, where he worked for Astrud Gilberto for four years. Lubambo has since performed and recorded with many outstanding artists including Diane Reeves, Michael Brecker, Al Jarreau, Kathleen Battle, Herbie Mann, Ivan Lins, Flora Purim and Airto, Paquito D'Rivera, Harry Belafonte, Grover Washington Jr., Leny Andrade and Cesar Camargo Mariano.

"Guitarist Romero Lubambo may be the best practitioner of his craft in the world today...the guitarist's facility, creativity and energy are in a class all their own."
--Jazziz