Yamandu Costa (born January 24, 1980, in Passo Fundo), sometimes spelled Yamandú, is a Brazilian guitarist and composer. His main instrument is the violão de sete cordas, the Brazilian seven-string classical guitar.
Costa began to study guitar at age seven with his father, Algacir Costa, leader of the group Os Fronteiriços (The Frontiersmen), and mastered the instrument under the guidance of , an Argentine virtuoso, who lived in Brazil. At age fifteen, Costa began to study southern Brazilian folk music, as well as the music of Argentina and Uruguay.
Influenced by the music of Radamés Gnattali, he began to study the music of other Brazilians, such as Baden Powell de Aquino, Tom Jobim and Raphael Rabello.
At age seventeen he played in São Paulo for the first time at the Cultural Circuit Bank of Brazil; the concert was produced by Study Tone Brazil.
Yamandu Costa gained increased international recognition after he appeared in Mika Kaurismäki's 2005 documentary film Brasileirinho. The film showcased the vibrant world of Brazilian choro music and featured Costa’s impressive guitar skills, which helped him reach a broader audience. While he was already an established musician in Brazil, the documentary played a significant role in elevating his profile internationally.
Costa's diverse styles include choro, bossa nova, milonga, tango, samba and chamamé.
His 2019 album Vento Sul was considered one of the 25 best Brazilian albums of the second half of 2019 by the São Paulo Association of Art Critics.
In 2021, his album Toquinho e Yamandu Costa - Bachianinha (Live at Rio Montreux Jazz Festival) (with Toquinho) won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Album.
Awards List of awards won by Yamandu Costa:
Prêmio Tim - Best Soloist - 2004 Winner of the Prêmio Visa, Instrumental edition - 2001 Trophy of Instrumental Music Revelation of the Rio Grande do Sul state 25º Award of Best Instrumentalist of the Rio Grande do Sul state Winner of the Prêmio Califórnia of Uruguaiana - 1995
Discography
2026 - Estrada Longa (with Antoine Boyer) 2026 - Em Casa (with Calry Costa) 2026 - El Arranque (with Hermanos Guedes) 2026 - Guitarras Pal Sur (with Facundo Rodriguez) 2026 - La Quinta Esencia (with Alexis Cardenas & Ensemble Recoveco) 2025 - Saga (with Martín Sued) 2024 - Ida & Volta 2024 - Innes Spirits (with Jan Lundgreen) 2024 - Uno a Uno (with Francesco Buzzurro) 2024 - Prenda Minha (with António Zambujo) 2024 - Helping Hands (with Elodie Bouny) 2023 - Encontro das Águas (with Armadinho Macedo) 2023 - YouTube Sessions 2023 - De Vida y Vuelta (with Domingo el Colorao) 2022 - Jazz Cigano Quinteto e Yamandu Costa 2022 - Simpatia (with Bebê Kramer) 2021 - Caballeros (with Guto Wirtti) 2021 - Encontro de Gerações na Música Instrumental Brasileira (live) 2021 - Caminantes (with Martin Sued and Luis Guerreiro) 2021 - Bachianinha - Live at Rio Montreux Jazz Festival (with Toquinho) 2020 - Festejo (with Marcelo Jiran) 2020 – Nashville 1996 2019 - Vento Sul 2018 – Yamandu Costa e Ricardo Herz 2017 – Borghetti Yamandu 2017 – Recanto 2017 – Quebranto (with Alessandro Penezzi) 2015 – Lado B (with Dominguinhos) 2015 – Tocata à Amizade 2015 – Concerto de Fronteira (with Orquestra do Estado de Mato Grosso) 2013 – Continente 2011 – Yamandu Costa e Rogério Caetano 2008 – Mafuá 2007 – Lida 2007 – Yamandu + Dominguinhos 2007 – Ida e Volta 2006 – Tokyo Session 2005 – Música do Brasil Vol.I (DVD) 2005 – Yamandu Costa ao Vivo (DVD) 2005 – Brasileirinho 2004 – El Negro Del Blanco (with Paulo Moura) 2003 – Yamandu ao Vivo 2001 – Yamandu / Prêmio Visa 2000 – Dois Tempos (with Lúcio Yanel)
References
External links Official website