Yamandu Costa, 7-string guitar virtuoso, is one of the few Brazilian instrumental music composers, extremely gifted musician, improviser and now at the age of 42, with his distinct way of playing, already a reference for a guitar generation. Influenced by many great musicians like Raphael Rabelo, Baden Powell, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astor Piazzolla and Django Reinhart, Yamandu has created his very particular style of compositions, somewhere between the typical music from the south of Brazil, “Choro music” and Samba with finger acrobatic like passages, high tempo and yet very delicate and melodious pieces. For the audience his music is somewhere between breathtaking and breathholding, accompanied by Yamandu ´ s way of melting with his instrument and being one for the duration of the concert. Yamandu is embracing the range of root-Latinamerican music with a clear basis on Southbrazilian swing. Yamandu is a unique guitar player, composer and arranger, improviser and interpreter who does not fit into a single music style and yet creates his own when he combines all of them playing his 7-string guitar. Many live performances have given proof of his geniality and natural way of enchanting the audience at sold out venues in and out of Brazil. Many established and well known Brazilian musicians have called Yamandu for live projects, recordings and special participation. The music documentary by Finnish film maker Mika Kaurismaki, called “Brasileirinho” on choro music also featured Yamandu Costa, which gave him additional international attention. So far, Yamandu has recorded 25 albuns and 4 DVDs from solo to orchestras. He has also performed with several orchestras: Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, “Orchestre National de France” , as “Orchestre de Paris” , Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide Art Orchestra, National Orchestra of Belgium, Philharmonic Orchestra of Monte Carlo, MDR Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra of Argentine Music, Talinn Chamber Orchestra and Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductors: Kurt Masur, Kristjan Järvi, Alondra de la Parra, Brett Kelly, Debora Waldman and Roberto Minczuk, among others. His guitar style has inspired many young musicians who are following his new school of guitar playing. He is performed among others also with Bob McFerrin, Melody Gardot, Baden Powell, Sergio Assad, Richard Galliano, Stefano Bollani, Stochelo Rosenberg, Sebastien Giniaux, Alfredo Rodriguez, Edmar Castañeda, Fito Paez, Antonio Zambujo, Pepe Romero, Romero Lubambo, Slava Grigoryan, Juan Falú, Luis Salinas, Lucio Yanel, Pedro Jóia, Gerardo Núñez, Vladimir Sumin, Vladimir Markushevich, Mayra Andrade, Carminho, Gilberto Gil, Djavan, Seu Jorge, Hermeto Pascoal, Mario Adnet, Paulo Jobim, Toquinho, João Bosco, Zeca Pagodinho, Ney Matogrosso, Marisa Monte, Roberta Sá, Naná Vasconcelos, Dominguinhos, Renato Borghetti, Hamilton de Holanda and Guinga.
With his Album “Toquinho & Yamandu Costa” , live at the Rio Montreux Festival (MZA), Yamandu Costa has won the Latin Grammy in the category “best instrumental music album” in 2021.