Laudir Soares de Oliveira (born January 6, 1940 in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

) is a Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian percussionist. His first professional experience was with Sérgio Mendes

Sergio Mendes

Sérgio Santos Mendes is a Brazilian musician. He has released over thirty-five albums, and plays bossa nova heavily crossed with jazz and funk....

. Credited as "Laudir," he also appeared on Joe Cocker

Joe Cocker

John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...

's 1969 debut album playing on his hit single, "Feelin' Alright

Feelin' Alright

"Feelin' Alright" also known as "Feeling Alright" is a song written by Dave Mason of the English rock band Traffic from their eponymous 1968 album, Traffic...

".

In 1973 he started working with the band Chicago

Chicago (band)

Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...

 as a sideman, playing on the albums Chicago VI

Chicago VI

Chicago VI is the sixth album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1973. Following the streamlined character of Chicago V, this successor would see the group follow more of a pop music approach, relying less on their trademark horns and exploring varied music forms.After recording all...

and Chicago VII

Chicago VII

Chicago VII is the seventh album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1974. It is notable for being their first double album of new material since 1971's Chicago III, and remains their final studio release in that format....

before officially joining the band in 1975. He subsequently appeared on the albums Chicago VIII

Chicago VIII

Chicago VIII is the eighth album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1975. Following the experimental jazz/pop stylings of Chicago VII, the band returned to a more streamlined sound on this follow-up....

through Chicago XIV

Chicago XIV

Chicago XIV is the 14th album by American rock band Chicago and was released in 1980. Recorded at a time of waning interest in the band, Chicago XIV remains one of Chicago's poorest selling albums and was a commercial flop...

. Laudir left Chicago in 1981, and he is now teaching music in Brazil. He also does session and production work.