Renato Martins has been playing and teaching Latin percussion for more than 30 years. Native of São Paulo, Brazil, he started to play percussion and piano when he was four years old. He studied drums and jazz piano and finished his musical studies with courses in classical piano, composition and conducting.

Renato Martins has created new techniques for traditional instruments; for example, the udu and the cajon. He’s also known to have applied kitchen utensils as percussion instruments and has been described as an innovator of Brazilian percussion by Brazil’s specialized media. He is considered one of the most respected percussionists in the world.

He played beside many big names of the Brazilian popular and instrumental music scenes like (Duda Neves, Sergio Sa, Moacyr Luz, Sa & Guarabyra, Tom Da Terra, Paulo Moura, Andre Geraissati, Ulisses Rocha, Teco Cardoso, Renato Borghetti, Edu Ribeiro, Vitor Alcantara, Zeli, Renato Consorte etc., and with big names of the jazz scene in Belgium. He has toured in Europe and around the world with several bands, has participated in world-class percussion conventions, and toured the US and Canada as the percussionist for Cirque Du Soleil’s show called OVO.