Claudio Rocha de Almeida was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1972. He studied music theory in 1989-91 at the conservatory of the University of Suam, and obtained a degree in art education and music from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in 1994. Between 1991 and 2004, Claudio played in various formations in Brazilian, Latin, jazz and rock/pop music (Tabajara, Rio Jazz Orchestra, Orchestra Tupy, Manhattan Society, Orchestra Cipo). During this period, he also taught saxophone, flute and music theory in individual and group classes in Rio de Janeiro. 

He was also a musician on Brazilian tours of Sivuca and Los Hermano, and recorded various CDs by Brazilian artists, including the Familia Roitman CD "O Samba nas Regras da Arte" (Independent) in 1995, Mario Dutra's CD "Friends from Japan" (Independent) in 1997, Marcio e Goro's CD "Ponto G" (Som Livre) in 1998, and Pedro Quental's CD "Produto Refinado" (Independent) in 2001. 

Between 2004 and 2010, Claudio participated as a musician in European tours of the group "Brasil Tropical". He also joined various Brazilian groups such as "Agua de Beber", "Goiabada", "Sergio Lemos e Goiabada" and "Caçamba" which participated in different festivals in France, Netherlands, Ireland and Belgium. During these years Claudio continued to teach as a private saxophone teacher and in private schools. He was also a full-time stagehand at the opera of the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels.

Based in Brussels, he participated in various projects including the recording of Flavio Maciel de Souza's CD "Ritmus Project" (Blue Queen) in 2011. With the group Caçamba, he participated in the albums "Dito Cujo" (Accoustic Music) in 2011 and "Batendo Cancelas" (Homerecords) in 2015. Very active on the international scene, Claudio continues to perform regularly with the jazz groups Goiabada, the trio Calatrio and the Brazilian jazz quartet Caçamba.

Claudio joined the Sextet Bossa Flor in 2016, participating in the group's two albums "Rencontres en bossa - De Jobim à Barouh" (2018) and "Feminino" (2019), as well as the double album « Brassens dans tous ses états ».

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