No Olho da Rua is a group of brasilian samba jazz- a style of instrumental jazzistic music which is related not only to samba, but to all the Brazilian musical roots such as frevo, afoxé, maracatu, baião, jongo, guarânia, among others. Nevertheless No Olho da Rua´s music also receive influences from the world’s music and it is universal.
The group has been on the road for more then thirteen years playing regularly in Ipanema Beach( outdoor), in the streets of Rio de Janeiro, in important venues and festivals in many different states of Brazil and in other countries.

Since March 1997 the quartet "No Olho da Rua" comes to the streets of the South Zone of Rio de Janeiro, initially at the Leblon beach, later at Ipanema Beach; Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and Tom Jobim Park.

The idea of going to the streets came from the desire of putting together the music and the landscape of Rio de Janeiro and letting people have direct and free access to the music and the history of samba jazz. The beach, the bike lane, the kiosks, the people and the whole nature of the city seem to invite to that purpose. The people's joy and receptivity confirm the success of this initiative.

The quartet have been doing presentations in the streets of Rio in Leblon, Ipanema, Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, Tom Jobim Park, among others and in important venues and festivals in Brazil and in other countries.

The group had many recognized Brazilian musicians as guests in it’s concerts such as Victor Biglione, Carlos Malta and Guinga. In 2010 No Olho da Rua did a tour in the United States with the cellist Luciano Correa playing in venues in New York City and in the Cello New Directions Festival in Ithaca, New York, where the group also led workshops and jam sessions about Brazilian music

"No Olho da Rua" has four CDs recorded with Ethos Brasil and is currently signed with Delira Música, one of the world´s most important labels for Brazilian instrumental music, with which the group has one DVD released that features Guinga as a guest artist.

Ruy Castro, in his book "Rio Bossa Nova" ( a guide for the most important places and groups for bossa nova in Rio de Janeiro) wrote about the quartet stating the band as one of the most important in Brazil for preservation and evolution of bossa nova and the other styles of Brazilian music. He also stated:

"The name of the band speaks for itself: the street as a stage and the people as the audience- but, since this stage is Rio, more precisely Ipanema, pleasure is guaranteed, even for the musicians. No Olho da Rua (Paulo Rego, saxophones and flute; Leandro Freixo, piano; Xandy Rocha, Bass; and Gustavo Schnaider, drums) can be watched since 1997, brightening up the Leblon and Lagoa, and the Downtown streets, but its most effective spot is near the Posto 10 in Ipanema, on Sundays, after 10 o'clock in the morning.
Going against its name, No Olho da Rua performs in conventional venues , such as Centro Cultural da Justiça Federal, at Av. Rio Branco, the Carioca da Gema, at av. Mem de Sá, and at the Mistura Fina, at Lagoa. But, for some reason, the direct sunlight and the sandy stage fit them like nobody else."

The group is mentioned in the Ricardo Cravo Albin Dictionary of Brasilian Popular Music as one of the most important groups of Brazilian instrumental music , and have been recognized trough it´s twelve years by the specialized critics.

No Olho da Rua´s work is also recognized by the Brazilian Committee for the Olympic games of 2016 in Rio, which stated the group and it’s participation in the Brazilian musical scene as very important to innovation of Brazilian instrumental music.