Since his move to New York City in 1990, Zé Luis has studied composition and contemporary music with Stanley Wolfe at the Juilliard School, and worked with many international artists whose diverse styles continue to expand his range as a sax and flute player—as well as a composer, arranger and producer. Zé worked as Musical Director of Bebel Gilberto’s live band on her first album, Tanto Tempo (Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees)—the most successful Brazilian release in the U.S. since the Sergio Mendes era. Zé and Bebel continue to collaborate and play together, right up to her latest album, Momento (Ziriguiboom/Six Degrees).

Zé’s first solo album, Guarani Banana (Malandro Records/Trama), a finalist in the 2000 Crossroads Music Awards “World Contemporary Music” category, was highly acclaimed in the American press, garnering enthusiastic coverage in Down Beat, Saxophone Journal, Rhythm and Jazziz, among many other publications.

In demand as an on-demand composer and producer on the New York scene, Zé has freelanced for music production houses like Tomandandy, Music For Picture, Pull and Q Department. He garnered both a TUSCULUM video award (Greeneville, TN) and a Telly award for his work on the documentary It’s Not Easy, directed by Frank Melli. He was also awarded for his work in the dance performance Big Judy, created by Patricia Hoffbauer and produced by David White at the Dance Theater Workshop in 1993.

Recent credits as an arranger/producer include releases such as Maybe This Christmas Tree and In The Clear (Nettwerk) with the band Ivy—licensed for the Monster In-law soundtrack; Psychosamba (Tratore), with Johann Heyss; Don't Whisper Lies (Wax Divine), with Astaire/Blondfire; Find The Love, with Aisha Mike; and Sunshine After Midnight with noted guitarist JJ Sansaverino. In 2005 Zé composed and produced the soundtrack for the documentary En Route to Baghdad, directed by Simone Duarte, honored with a silver medal from the United Nations Correspondents Association in 2004.

In 2003 Zé released his second solo album, Caiapó (Z L Music NY/INgrooves). Most recently, he has been performing with the Zé Luis Quartet in New York and at jazz festivals around the U.S. He’s also has been at the producing and arranging helm of the albums Grupo Miguelito (Z L Music NY/INgrooves); Nina Miranda and Chris Franck’s Zeep (Far Out Recordings-UK): Tonho Crocco’s Teto Solar (SMD); and Paul Tabachneck’s Boy Meets Girl. In 2008, Zé licensed music for the TV movie A Rasin in The Sun, produced by and featuring P. Diddy, nominated for a Golden Globe award. As an instrumentalist, Zé Luis is featured on the latest album by Robert Lamm (lead singer for Chicago), The Bossa Project (Blue Infinity).