Claudio Roditi was born May 28th, 1946 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He began his musical studies when he was just five years old. His native Brazilian music upbringing almost took a back seat as he became enamoured with jazz and heard recordings of Louis Armstrong, Harry James and other American trumpeters. By the time he was 13, thanks to an America uncle's record collection, he became familiar with Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis.