Eduardo Mendonça, Brazilian recording artist, vocalist, composer, percussionist, guitarist, and musical arranger, was born in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Mendonça traces his lineage to a royal African family bearing the hereditary title of Mama-Beka (“prophet of the royal court”). His grandfather, —who secretly maintained the Mama-Beka title—is pictured in a rare book, property of the Instituto Geográfico e Histórico da Bahia (Geographic and Historical Institute of Bahia). Mendonça received his Master in Arts Education at the Instituto de Música da Universidade Católica do Salvador (Music Institute of the Catholic University of Salvador) and performed as featured musician in many venues in Bahia, including command performances for Brazilian President João Baptista Figueiredo and for Pope John Paul II. Eduardo had the honor to play for the former South Africa President Nelson Mandela (Seattle, WA - USA - 1999). He also performed in trios elétricos—brightly lit mobile soundstages for festivals and public dancing in Brazil —with trios such as Dengo da Bahia, Papa Léguas, and Marcos Medrado, and toured locally and internationally as vocalist and percussionist with the folkloric troupe, Exaltação á Bahia. In 1991, Mendonça was featured in Paul Simon’s documentary music video, “Born at the Right Time.” In Washington-USA, Mendonça is Music Director for Show Brazil!, an international acclaimed performing ensemble featuring traditional and contemporary Brazilian music and dance; and Co-Founder and Director for BrasilFest, an annual Brazilian Festival held at Seattle Center. Eduardo is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (Grammy), winner of “Outstanding Brazilian Male Singer based in The U.S.” for the 2007 Annual Brazilian International PRESS AWARD (Florida), and also winner of Aspasia Phoutrides Pulakis Memorial Award 2005 for his significant contributions to the Brazilian Community and the community at-large of the Northwest.