He and Antônio Carlos Jobim were the first two music composers, together with lyricists Vinicius de Moraes and Ronaldo Boscoli, to be recorded by João Gilberto on his first LP entitled Chega de Saudade (1959).
Brazilian singer and composer, an influential figure in the bossa nova genre.
He also wrote the song "Influência do Jazz", one of the songs he sang at the Bossa Nova Concert at Carnegie Hall, in 1962.
In 1960 he started to compose together with Vinicius de Moraes. They wrote together a musical play, in 1962, called "Pobre Menina Rica" (Poor little rich girl blue).
In 1961 he was one of the five founders of CPC (Center of Popular Culture) where he started to write songs for cinema and theater.