Valtinho Anastácio

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Valtinho began his musical journey as a child, inspired by the rhythms of the streets where he grew up. Drawn early to percussion, he immersed himself in the rich traditions of Brazilian music, mastering instruments such as congas, pandeiro, berimbau, agogô, abê, caixa, and many others. His voice soon became a central element of his musical expression, bridging rhythm and melody.

As his career developed, Valtinho performed and learned alongside some of Brazil’s most influential artists, including Elis Regina, Wilson Simonal, Djavan, Milton Nascimento, and Egberto Gismonti. His path later led him to Tokyo, where he collaborated with leading Japanese musicians such as Terumasa Hino, Kazumi Watanabe, and Toki Hidefumi, and toured in 1994 with Ryuichi Sakamoto on the acclaimed Sweet Revenge tour. A live performance at the Nippon Budokan marked a defining moment in his career, as did a memorable encounter and collaboration with Jaco Pastorius.

Relocating to New York City proved pivotal, opening doors to collaborations with an extraordinary range of artists including Victor Bailey, Omar Hakim, Mongo Santamaría, Charlie Palmieri, Eddie Gomez, Kenny Barron, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Astrud Gilberto, McCoy Tyner, and others. Reflecting on that period, Valtinho once said that from then on, there were no more U-turns—only dreams pursued with eyes wide open.