Born in a small village in Brazil, by the time he was 6 years old he had won many music contests by singing and playing percussion and had his own radio programme every Saturday afternoon. At 13 he became a professional musician, playing percussion and singing in a dance band called Jazz Estrela.

He moved to Sao Paulo at the age of 16 and played regularly at the night clubs as a percussionist and drummer. In 1965 he moved to Rio de Janeiro where he later met his future wife, singer Flora Purim. Flora moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and Moreira followed her shortly afterwards.

The couple soon moved to New York where Flora was singing with south African singer Miriam Makeba and Moreira began playing with musicians such as Reggie Workman, JJ Johnson, Cedar Walton and bassist Walter Booker. It was through Booker that he began playing with the greats: Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan and Joe Zawinul. Zawinul recommended Moreira to Miles Davis for a recording session in 1970. Davis then invited Moreira to join his group which included such jazz icons as Wayne Shorter, Dave Holland, Jack DeJohnette, Chick Corea and later John McLaughlin and Keith Jarrett. Moreira remained with Davis for two years and appeared on albums such as Live at the Fillmore and Bitches Brew.

He was then invited to form the original Weather Report with Shorter, Zawinul, Miroslav Vitous and Alphonse Mouzon.

Soon after, he joined Chick Corea's original Return to Forever which featured Flora Purim, Joe Farrell and Stanley Clarke and they recorded the albums Return to Forever and Light as a Feather.

In 1974, Moreira formed his first band in the US with Flora Purim. His latest band, Fourth World, featuring Purim, Jose Neto, Gary Brown and Jovino Santos has recorded three albums: Fourth World, Encounters of the Fourth World and their upcoming release, Last Journey. When they are not in the studio, they perform throughout the US, Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Moreira remained one of the most in-demand percussionists. He has performed and recorded with Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Carlos Santana, Gil Evans, Gato Barbieri, Michael Brecker, the Crusaders, Paul Simon, Chicago and many others, and has contributed to movie sound tracks including The Exorcist, Last Tango in Paris and Apocalypse Now. As an educator he often tours Europe, Latin America, Japan and the United States teaching and giving workshops for colleges and music schools.

In addition, Moreira has been advancing the cause of world music as a member of the Planet Drum percussion ensemble, founded by Mickey Hart, drummer for the Grateful Dead.