Ed Motta

Eduardo “Ed” Motta (born on August 17, 1971) is a Brazilian musician, mostly known for his bold experiments in style, mixing MPB with disco, funk, and jazz. Being the nephew of iconic Brazilian singer-songwriter Tim Maia, Motta grew up in a musical household and was exposed to a wide array of genres from an early age. After a brief stint as the lead singer of experimental outfit Conexão Japeri, Motta kicked off his solo career with Um Contrato com Deus (1990) and Entre e Ouça (1992). After the moderate success of his first releases, Motta had his breakthrough moment with the Manual Prático para Festas, Bailes e Afins (1997), a more pop-oriented album that was certified gold after selling more than 100,000 copies in his native Brazil. He followed the success with the introspective Dwitza (2002), a largely instrumental album that showcased the singer’s love for jazz and 70s film soundtracks, and Aystelum (2005), which earned Motta a nomination for Best Latin Jazz Album at the 2006 Latin Grammys. Sung entirely in English, Chapter 9 (2008) was hailed by critics as a masterpiece and a major milestone in Motta’s career. A global tour ensued, after which he released Piquenique (2009) and AOR (2013), a yacht rock-infused effort that marked the beginning of his relationship with indie label LAB344. Recorded with a star-studded cast of studio musicians, Perpetual Gateways (2016) was ranked Number 12 on the list of Best Brazilian Albums that year and paved the way for Criterion of the Senses (2018), a collection of smooth jazz rock songs that expanded upon Motta’s glossy, FM-friendly sound.