Born in São José do Rio Preto, where his father was the maestro of a marching band and encouraged his son to train as a tailor,[2] Paulo instead studied in the National Music School and performed with the Brazilian Symphonic Orchestra.

[2] He appeared at Bossa Nova night at Carnegie Hall in 1962 with Sérgio Mendes,[2] the two of them also featuring on Cannonball Adderley's 1962 album, Cannonball's Bossa Nova.

[2] His CD Paulo Moura e Os Oito Batutas was listed by Barnes & Noble as one of the top 10 recommendations of the year for 1998.

[2] From 1997 to 1999, he was on the State Council of Culture in Rio de Janeiro, a Councillor of the Federal Council of Music, and President of the Museum Foundation of Image and Sound.

[3][4] In his last informal musical gathering happened on July 10, 2010,[5] and included David Feldman (musician), Daniela Spielmann, Marcello Gonçalves, Gabriel Moura, Humberto Araujo and Wagner Tiso.