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