José Pires de Almeida Neto, born in 1954 in São Paulo, Brazil, is a Brazilian jazz guitarist. He began learning guitar from his mother at age four and started classical guitar lessons at twelve. In 1970, he formed his own band, "Plato," and by 1978, he became a member of Harry Belafonte's band. Neto moved to San Francisco in 1982, collaborating with artists such as Tânia Maria, Paquito D’Rivera, Hugh Masekela, Herbie Mann, and Airto Moreira. In 1990, he served as the musical director and composer for the band Fourth World alongside Moreira and Flora Purim. Notable albums include Mountains and the Sea (1987), In Memory of Thunder (1996), and Mountains And The Sea De Novo (2009). Neto has also recorded with George Benson and joined Steve Winwood's band for their 2003 world tour. In 2001 he began performing with the Netoband at festivals across Europe and the United States.
