Pick of The Year 2006!
Francisco Soares de Souza
Maria do Céu worked with Brazilian renowned guitarist Turíbio Santos in Rio de Janeiro. Since beginning her professional career in 1984, she has played with a variety of groups, including the Orchestra of Acoustic Guitars of Rio de Janeiro and the Quinteto Clássico. She has performed throughout Brazil as well as abroad. Together with Rodrigo Sebastian (bass) and Di Lutgardes (percussion), she dedicated the mentioned cd to the choros of Francisco Soares de Souza.
For more info on the 'Choros do Ceará'-cd, pay a visit to the web of Maria do Céu (- in Portuguese only) here
Listen to sound clips from the cd, download a complete track in mp3 by clicking here
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A Merry Christmas/Feliz Natal to the visitors of this blog!
Jo
Marcus Llerena - Levanta Poeira (Kickin' Up Dust)
When listening to the cd, no signs of owls or a noisy drunkard can be detected - on the contrary this is a most sober recital of marvellous solo guitar and even repeated listening has not revealed the performer snappin' an owl! The repertoire performed includes Marcus Lerena's arrangements of compositions by Pixinguinha, zequinha de Abreu, André Corréa, Chiquinha Gonzaga, Jacob do Bandolim, K-Ximbinho, Radamés Gnattali, Garoto, Nicanor Teixeira, Neco, Armando Neves and Julio Borges.
The performance is a feast for all lovers of the Brasilian guitar tradition, a peak moment of recorded guitar wizardry displaying the rich and varied tradition of the violão - the title of the cd, meaning 'kicking up dust', is also the title of a composition by Abreau and the first track of the cd. Indeed, Marcus Llerena kicks up dust right from the start - I highly recommend this cd. If you are in need for a last-minute wish for X-mas, then this is your choice, even better buy it for yourself - you will be rewarded with a delightfull hour of good company with a most skilled performer - a rare bird!
Tracklist inserted below:
1.Levanta Poeira (Zequinha de Abreu) 2.André de Sapato Novo (André Victor Corrêa)3.Carioca II (Nicanor Teixeira)4.Chôroc (Daudeth de Azevedo [Neco]) 5.Corta Jaca (Chiquinha Gonzaga) 6.Carioquinha (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha)7.Vôo da Môsca (Jacob Bittencourt [J. do Bandolim]) 8.Chôro II (Armando Neves)9.Carioca I (Nicanor Teixeira) 10.Sonoroso (Sebastião de Barros [K. Ximbinho])11.Valsa (Julio Borges) 12.Oscarina (Alfredo Viana Filho [Pixinguinha]) 13.Inferna (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha) 14.Carinhoso (Alfredo Viana Filho [Pixinguinha])15.Sempre (Sebastião de Barros [K. Ximbinho]) 16.Saudade (Radamés Gnattali) 17.Numa Seresta (Luiz Americano) 18.Improviso (Aníbal Augusto Sardinha) 19.From 10 Estudos para Violaõ (Radamés Gnattali)
Jo
Fábio Zanon - O Violão Brasileiro
Gafieira Jazz - Paulo Moura & Cliff Korman
Choro of João Pernambuco
Just for your entertainment.
Keep swinging
Hans Koert
You can contact me at keepswinging.blogspot.com
Canhoto da Paraíba
Francisco Soares de Araújo (b. 1928), better known as Canhoto da Paraíba, is definitely one of the true masters of the guitar choro tradition in Brazil. Coming from a family of musicians, Canhoto da Paraíba learned to play the violão (acoustic guitar) when he was very young. As he is left-handed (canhoto) and there was only one instrument to be shared by he and his brothers, he learned to play in an inverted position, stunning observers with his prodigious soloing technique in such an unfavorable setup. Throughout his career, he not only participated in hundreds of recordings and radio performances, accompanying the stars of MPB, but he also was a recognized master on his own, both as an instrumentalist and composer. His most successful choros, "Com Mais de Mil" and "Visitando o Recife," are of the genre's highest level, being some of the most representative of the choro Pernambucano style. Both mentioned compositions are among the tracks of the shown EMI compilation.
Tracklist:
1 TUA IMAGEM 2 AMIGO SENA 3 CORRINHA 4 COM MAIS DE MIL 5 LEMBRANÇA QUE FICOU 6 SUBINDO AO CÉU 7 VISITANDO O RECIFE 8 TODO CUIDADO É POUCO 9 REVENDO UM AMIGO 10 CHORO NA MADRUGADA 11 VALSA A TOZINHO 12 PISANDO EM BRASA
Alvaro Neder has a career profile of Canhoto da Paraíba in AMG:
"In 1953, he signed with Rádio Tabajara in João Pessoa PB, staying there for five years. There, he organized his first regional. In 1958, he returned to Recife PE, and was hired by Rádio Jornal do Comércio, being featured in the show Quando os Violões se Encontram, in which Miro José (who introduced the seven-string violão in Pernambuco), Tozinho, Wilson Sandes, Ernani Reis, Romualdo, Ceça, Zé do Carmo, and others also used to perform. In that period, he performed regularly with masters of choro, like mandolinist Rossini Ferreira, accordionist Sivuca, and mandolinist Luperce Miranda. In October 1959, together with João Dias, Dona Ceça, Zé do Carmo, and Rossini Ferreira, da Paraíba went to Rio de Janeiro being praised by such icons as Pixinguinha, Radamés Gnattali, Jacob do Bandolim, and Paulinho da Viola, who paid homage to him with the choro "Abraçando o Chico Soares" (1971) and with the production of the LP Canhoto da Paraíba: Com Mais de Mil (Marcus Pereira, 1977). In 1993, he recorded the CD Pisando em Brasa (Caju Music)."
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For the readers familiar with the Portuguese language I'll point you to a video on YouTube celebrating Pernambuco and Canhoto da Paraíba, to be reached clicking here or on headline.
Jo
Paulinho Nogueira
Paulinho Nogueira (1929-2003) was a virtuosic musician who adapted a Brazilian feel to sophisticated acoustic guitar (violão) playing. He is distinctive for not having been influenced by jazz, as most popular Brazilian virtuosos have been. He recorded 27 solo albums and toured throughout the world, playing his violão for 50 years.
The shown cd, 'Antologia do violão'(Mercury,582698-2) released 1996, is a highly recommended reissue of a LP recording from 1976 showing off the virtuosic skills of Paulinho Nogueira, tracklist inserted below:
1. Choro Triste / Duas Contas / Gente Humilde (Chico Buarque, Vinicius de Moraes) 2. Bachianinho Nº 1 / Simplesmente o Bem Verdadeiro (Paulinho Nogueira) 3. Cotidiano Nº 2 / Lua Cheia / Na Boca da Noite (Chico Buarque, Vinicius de Moraes, Toquinho, Paulo Vanzolini) 4. Outro Adeus / Manhã de Carnaval (Luiz Bonfá, Antônio Maria) 5. Abismo de Rosas (João Do Sul, Canhoto) 6. Por do Sol de Copacabana (Laurindo Almeida) 7. Berimbau / Samba em Preludio ( Vinicius de Moraes, Baden Powell) 8. Porto das Flores (Rosinha de Valenca) 9. Se Ela Perguntar / Dois Destinos (Dilermando Reis, Jair Amorim) 10. Ontem ao Luar / Luar Do Sertão (Catulo Da Paixão Cearense, Pedro de Alcântara)
A complete audio-file of track 10 available clicking here
I found a couple of filmed video-performances by Nogueira. Enjoy Paulinho Nogueira at home playing:
Jo
The Brazilian Violão of Nicanor Teixeira
In 2000, mandolinist/arranger Afonso Machado and Bartholomeu Wiese (violão), members of the Galo Preto, produced the tribute CD for Rob Digital "Nicanor Teixeira por 28 Grandes Intérpretes" (RD037) with Teixeira's songs interpreted by noted musicians like Turíbio Santos, Egberto Gismonti, Guinga, Jodacil Damasceno, Léo Soares, Cláudio Tupinambá, Afonso Machado, Galo Preto, Bartholomeu Wiese, Marcos Llerena, Nicolas de Souza Barros, Maria Haro, Luiz Otávio Braga, Graça Alan, and others.
I highly recommend this cd of magnificent renditions of compositions by Teixeira, tracklist inserted below:
1.Carioca 1 - Turíbio Santos e Galo Preto 2.Olhos Que Choram - Nicanor Teixeira 3.Canção Terna - Guinga 4.Auto-Retrato - Marcos Farina e Luíz Otávio Braga 5.Romaria de Bom Jesus da Lapa Nicanor Teixeira, Maria Haro, Bartholomeu Wiese e Nelson Caiado 6.Concertante 3 - Bartholomeu Wiese 7. Prelúdio 1 - Jodacil Damaceno 8. Prelúdio 2 - Jodacil Damaceno 9. Estudo 3 - Jodacil Damaceno 10.João Benta no Forró Marcus Llerena, Chuang Yu Ting, Vera Andrade e Felipe Freire 11.Procissão Maria Haro, Bartholomeu Wiese, Marcus Ferrer e Luciana Requião 12.Mariquinha Duas Covas Afonso Machado, Bartholomeu Wiese e André Boxexa 13.Elegia - Léo Soares 14.Te Enxerga, Muié - Maria Haro e Rodolfo Cardoso 15.Estudo 2 - Cláudio Tupinambá 16.Estudo Brilhante - Nicholas de Souza Barros 17.Cantiga - Graça Alan, Vera Andrade e Nelson Caiado 18.Cateretê Das Farinhas - João Rabello de Faria 19.Velha Lembrança - Alexandre Gismonti e Egberto Gismonti
Alvaro Neder has a career profile of Nicanor Teixeira in AMG:
"Already an amateur player, Teixeira came to Rio de Janeiro in 1948, where he took classes with Dilermando Reis. In 1952, Teixeira performed at Ary Barroso's show, winning first prize. At that time, he was a member of the Orquestra de Violões de Dilermando Reis (Dilermando Reis Guitar Orchestra). His debut as a concerto player was in 1958 at ABI (Brazilian Press Association), when he was already a busy professor at the Brazilian conservatory and other music schools. Through Hermínio Bello de Carvalho, Teixeira came to back up Clementina de Jesus, Ismael Silva, Zé Kéti, Aracy de Almeida, and other singers. In 1961, an illness in the index-finger of his right hand forced him to abandon the profession of musician. In that period, he and other violão players designed the curriculum of the instrument for the Brazilian Conservatory of Music. Through intense effort, Teixeira overcame the problem in his hand and continued to perform sporadically, recording in 1977 the independent O Violão Brasileiro de Nicanor Teixeira; it was distributed as a gift by a company and was never commercialized. After 1985, he wrote several pieces for the Quarteto Carioca de Violões (formed by Maria Haro and Nicolas de Souza Barros), such as "Mariquinhas Duas Covas," considered a classic of today's violão ensembles. In 2000, he was paid tribute at the Sesc RioArte when several of his compositions were interpreted by Turíbio Santos, Jodacil Damasceno, Afonso Machado, and Galo Preto, among others".
One of the contributing musicians on the above mentioned cd is Maria Haro. Enjoy a live-performance by Maria Haro playing one of Teixeira's compositions, click here or on headline
Jo
Brazilian Traveller
Educated at the Royal Danish Academy of Music by Per-Olof Johnson and Lars Trier. Studied for a long period in Brazil with Sebastião Tapajós, Marco Pereira and Ulisses Rocha. Furthermore studied in Paris with Roland Dyens. Toured as a soloist in Japan, Mexico and Spain. Was a member of several permanent chamber music ensembles, including a trio with guitar, bass and percussion and a duo with the flutist Kim Menzer.Tom Roy Nielsen was a member of Corona Guitar Kvartet since its foundation in 1995 until his death in July 2000.
Jo
Choro Brasil Scandinavia
The group has five members. In the image below you'll find from the left to the right Martin Heap with his 7 string guitar. Such a guitar is named a Violao de 7 Cordas. The bandolim player is Marcilio Lopes and in the middle is Jayme Vignoli, who played the cavaquinho, a kind of small Brasilian guitar. The last two players are Oscar Bolao, the pandeiro player and Mats Andersson, the guitar player.
The music was new for me and it opened for me a new world - a world I didn't knew to exist. I heard this musicans during their concert at Mandala, but also at a jam session later that week in a packed small venue in the center of Copenhagen.
As the members of these groups are living in two different parts of the world I don't think they play together in a regular way, but they make tours now and then. On their website, no longer online, they had posted some great shots, made in Rio de Janeiro in which they played two tunes. Unfortunally the website vanished like the two films. I was happy to find both movies in the great internet list Youtube to share with you. Enjoy the two films:
The two film were shot in Rio de Janeiro, February 2004. Enjoy it.
This contribution was also posted at our Keep swingingweb log
Keep swinging
Hans Koert
Rhythm Of Brazil - The Pandeiro
Zé da Velha & Silverio Pontes
Rafael Rabello - Lamentos do Morro
Anjos do Inferno
recorded the hits "Acontece que eu sou Baiano" and "Vestido de Bolero." In 1944 they were hired by RCA Victor, where they remained until 1952. There they recorded, among many albums, the samba "Que Gostinho Bom" (Marino Pinto/Mário Rossi), the samba "Bolinha de Papel" (Geraldo Pereira), the samba "Diz que Sim, Diz que Não" (Mário Lago), and the march "Cordão dos Puxa-sacos" (Frazão/Roberto Martins). In 1944 they performed in the film Abacaxi Azul. In 1946 they toured through Argentina and Mexico, with José Soares (the Russinho) replacing Hélio Verri. In February 1947 they opened in the biggest Latin American nightclub of those times, El Pateo, in Mexico City. They had been hired for six weeks, but stayed for four years. From Mexico, in 1948, several members emigrated to the U.S. joining the Bando da Lua: Harry Vasco de Almeida, Aluísio Ferreira, Walther Pinheiro, and Russinho. Vilar called other musicians from Brazil to replace them, former members of the Os Namorados: Nanai (violão), Miltinho (at the pandeiro then, he would become famous later as a singer), and Chicão (former Quitandinha Serenaders, violão tenor and tantã). In the new formation, the group toured U.S., performed in Los Angeles together with Carmen Miranda, and kept for two years a radio program about aspects of Brazil. In Mexico, the Anjos do Inferno participated in 11 films, eight of them featuring Ninón Sevilla, a big star then.
Oscar Alemán - Brasilian Repertoire
recorded for the Victor label in Buenos Aires - they cut 16 sides as a duo from 1927-1929 and joined violinist Elvino Vardaro in 1929 on a couple of sessions, billed as the Trio Victor.
All titles recorded in Buenos Aires for the Odeon label
Jo
Joao Pernambuco
Joao Texeira de Guimaräes, known as Joao Pernambuco is one of those unknown composers who are famous in Brazilian music.
He was born in 1883 an died 1947.
He was not only a great composer; he also played guitar in the choro style. He had a great guitar technique, which inspired a lot of other guitar players. He teached his style of playing to his students.
People who have seen him playing remember the way he used to play the instrument: He often played the guitar only with his left hand, which is to say, he made the sounds only on the neck of the guitar. He did this with the greatest naturalness.
He played whatever piece looking towards the sky, towards a wall, not paying attention to the neck of the guitar. He had a fingering and quality that untiul today I have not seen. ( source: Choro - Tamara Elena Livingston-Isenhour-Thomas George Caracas Garcia (2005))
Thanks to Jørgen I could listen to some great 80 years old recordings of Joao Pernambuco on guitar which fascinated me ( Mimoso - Lagrimas and Magoada.)
Thanks Jo.
Jørgen posted a blog about this great Brazilian composer. Find it by clicking on the title bar.
This blog is also posted at the Keep swinging blog
Thanks!
Paulo Moura & Os Batutas: Pixinguinha
I also recommend a visit at Paulo Moura's official web. At his website you are having the opportunity to listen to lengthy audio tracks from his large output, moreover various video clips are available, too.
Jo
Saludos Amigos!
My son, Tue, is turning 11 years of age during the week-end. Like other kids of his age he is quite keen on Disney cartoons. As a responsible father I like to point him to some of the masterpieces from 'the golden age' by the Disney staff . I have found an example related to Brazil and Brazilian music tradition, enjoy the classic 'Saludos Amigos!' by clicking the link.
Gafieira
In Mika Kaurismäki's documentary, Brasilrinho, on choro in Rio we are introduced to the practice of gafieira in a couple of scenes. Gafieira is another word for the Brazilian tradition of ballroom performance by orchestra and dancers.
Moro No Brasil
Trio Madeira Brasil - First Issue (1998)
Trio Madeira Brasil
Maestro Gaó & Orquestra Colbaz
Audio samples of Orchestra Colbaz available at the IMS online search facility
Jo
Answers To Discographical Info Request
According to Daniella it can be confirmed that the recording was made in Brazil 1930 near the middle of that year judging from the catalog number. - Regarding the question about Bueno Lobo's supposed participation in the two recording Daniella has the following answer:
"I have every reason to believe that the Hawaiian guitar on those Columbia cuts was played by Zezinho (José Patrocínio de Oliveira), now better known as Zé Carioca. Between 1929 and 1931, Zezinho participated in approximately 120 recordings at Columbia. He was João Pernambuco's second guitar on the composer's legendary recordings. Zezinho was a highly respected multi-instrumentalist, being a master of the banjo, cavaquinho, bandolim, guitar, tenor guitar, and Hawaiian guitar. - In 1939, Zezinho was playing in Romeu SIlva's orchestra at the Brazilian pavilion of the New York World's Fair. There he met his old friend Garoto, who was working for Carmen Miranda as a member of Bando da Lua. The following year Zezinho joined Bando da Lua, settled in LA, and provided Disney with the inspiration for Zé Carioca. He was the parrot's voiceover in Disney's south-of-the border films and appeared in person in the "Os Quindins de Iaiá" segment in the film 'The Three Caballeros,' dancing with Aurora Miranda. He also recorded several albums in the US under the artistic name Zé Carioca. But Zé wasn't a carioca at all. In the Disney films you can clearly hear his paulistano accent. "
Daniella Thompson has an extensive article on Zé Carioca on her web .
You may enjoy the Disney cartoon featuring the parrot Zé Carioca, "Blame It On The Samba", by clicking here
Jo
Discographical Info Request
Nó em Pingo D'Água: "João Pernambuco"
Doce de Coco
The CD contains 24 tracks from the late 1940s and early 1950s, most previously released for the Brazilian RCA-Victor.
Jacob (Jacó for friends) Pick Bittencourt was born in Lapa, in the middle of the red light district of Rio de Janeiro. He was a very opinionated man; he disliked Bossa Nova, the modest singers he heard on the radio, journalists and other people part of the entertainment business.
In 1947 he entered the Continental studios in Rio to make his first two recordings, Gloria ( composed by Bonfiglio de Oliveira) and his own composition Treme Treme, which is to be found on this CD ( track 18 ). Although he had a band of his own for ten years ( Jacob e Sua Gente) he didn't make any recordings before.
Six more recordings were made in 1947 and 1948 in the Continental studio before he decided to join RCA-Victor. This CD gives a good view on Jacób Do Bandolim ( as he called himselve ) earliest recordings. One of these great tunes is Flamenco, a 1948 recording by Jaco together with César Faria e Seu Conjunto (track 12 ).
Choro as choro should be.
He became a well known radio announcer with his own live radio show for Radio Guanabara, called Jacó e seu bandolim. Each show opened with the tune Despertar Da Montanha, a choro that became the signature tune of the program (track 7 ). Then he played five or six choros , which were to be discussed. The program became very popular and preserved the choro music for oblivion. Mind that in Brazil too, rock and other US pop music was rising.
Thanks to his live performances of Jacob on the bandolim, this instrument became very popular in the early 1950s. Mind that the bandolim wasn't used in the choro music before that time. Before the 1950s the mandolin was used - Both instruments have four double courses of strings but the shape and playing technique of both instruments differs. The bandolim has an oval shape and a flat back and a somewhat deeper body than a mandolin. The bandolim is played with a pick made of tortoiseshell or plastic.
The liner notes of the record are written in French (with one summary in english) and contains full discographical information; a rarity in choro reissues.
If you want to experience choro music or the music of its inventor Jacob do Bandolim this CD is a must.Durium