On the 4th of September 2000 an official document of the Brasilian government announced that the 23rd of April every year shall be marked as Dia Nacional do Choro - National Choro Day. The 23rd of April was deliberatly chosen in honor of Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho - better known as Pixinguinha (April 23, 1897 - February 7, 1973), choro composer, arranger, flautist and saxophonist. Today it is Pixinguinha's 113th birthday - and Choro Day, all over Brazil and elsewhere music events are scheduled to celebrate choro and Pixinguinha. We also want to mark the day by inserting some videos below featuring music by Pixinguinha - Here is first a short film fragment of the Maestro with his regional recorded in the 1950s playing "1X0" - Enjoy!From a live concert arranged by Instrumental SESC Brasil earlier this year featuring Zé da Velha (trombone), Silvério Pontes (trumpet), Alexandre Romanazzi (flute), Charlles da Costa (violão), Alessandro Cardozo (cavaquinho), Netinho Albuquerque (pandeiro) and Rodrigo Jesus (percussion) here is a rendition of Pixinguinha's "Ainda me Recordo"
From the same concert, here is Pixinguinha's "Os Oito Batutas"
Finally, to end this small celebration of Pixinguinha, here is a magnificent rendition of the tour-de-force for any flautist, "O Gato e o Canário", from the same concert - Enjoy!
Jo