Armandinho - Retocando o Choro

One of the characteristics of the traditional choro performance is the fact that the participating musicians usually are seated in a circle or around a table to create an intimate atmosphere and leaving the opportunity to watch each other while playing. This was the ideal setting for a roda de choro, and this is continued to this day in small clubs or at private gatherings whenever choro musicans get together to play for their own pleasure. You could say that the mentioned setting of a roda de choro is well suited for this kind of chamberish music that demands concentration, great technical skills and the presence of a common feeling to recreate the spirit of choro as a multi-voiced unity.- However, today a choro performance often takes place in a concert setting with the musicians placed on a stage fronting an audience, which usually excludes the possibility of a traditional roda de choro setting, as all participating musicians are supposed to be fronting the audience. On the other hand, the stage setting leaves the opportunity of individual solo performance a better chance to reach the audience, a fact to be taken advantage of whether it may be a classical symphonic orchestra with a soloist performing, or a band performing popular music with changing solo voices.

The world is a stage according to Mr. Shakespeare and especially a younger generation of musians has understood this dictum as a demand of acting as an individual soloist when the music plays, the success of a performance depending on the abilities of the individual fronting the audience and supported by a band in the background. The soloist's role has become the most important part of the act on stage. This is truly a phenomenon reflecting the ideological and social values of modern Western society, expected to be the norm by audiences and accepted as such by musicians, who go for a successfull career in music business. In fact, the success of a modern jazz or rock'n'roll concert seems to depend on the soloists' personal abilities, the reputation and stardom often applied to the musician's ability to invent and create surprising personal solos by mastering the instrument with special effects and unexpected improvisation skills. This is the constant demand resting on the career of individual musicians heading for a star role on-stage today.

When choro and choro performance had a revival in Brazil during the 1970s one of the problems to front by choro musicians was that the choro was considered to be the music of old folks with outdated values of social behaviour. The gap between a young generation looking for an indivudal platform in the world and the preserving of old values by the elder generation created a cultural vacuum, in which the choro easily was considered an anachronic left-over from a world of yesterday. However, devoted individuals among the young generation of families, where the choro had been a part of the cultural identity for generations, faced the challenge and tried to put the choro on stage in a new setting, considering the music to be just as appealing as rock'n'roll when performed by devoted musicians. One of the pioneers of the young revivalists of choro was Armandinho.

ARMANDINHO (Armandinho Macêdo) was born 1953 in Salvador, Bahia, in a musical environment - his father, Osmar, was the inventor of the Electric Trio (sound truck made famous in the Carnival of Bahia and later generalized throughout the country). He was taught to play by his father at age nine. He was already performing one year later with his own Trio Elétrico Mirim (Junior). After a stint amidst the Beatlemania craze adapted in Brazil as Jovem Guarda, he was hired by TV Tupi (Rio) and recorded his first album after winning an important novice show (Flávio Cavalcanti). His second single and first LP soon followed. In 1973, he recorded O Trio Elétrico de Dodô e Osmar with Caetano Veloso. In 1974, he was included in his father's Trio Elétrico, which was renamed Trio Elétrico de Armandinho, Dodô e Osmar. With Moraes Moreira as producer and singer, he recorded a series of LPs with the Trio Elétrico after 1975. In that year, he formed a group that accompanied Moreira, later being named A Cor Do Som, which performed internationally (in 1978 at the Montreux Festival, Switzerland, and in 1981 in New York, U.S.) and recorded several LPs with an innovative blend of choro, music from Bahia, and pop/rock. Based in early (around the '40s) prototypes designed by Dodô prior to the invention of the electric guitar, called the "pau elétrico," Armandinho designed the guitarra baiana, which is similar to an electrified cavaquinho. The guitarra baiana then became commercially produced by Dodô. In 1984, the Trio Elétrico performed in Rome, Italy, and, in the next year, in Toulouse, France. In 1986, they performed in France and Mexico and, in 1990, in Paris, France. In 1987, Armandinho shared a show with Raphael Rabello in Rio and, in the next year, played with Moraes Moreira in the U.S. In 1994, a live recorded show with A Cor do Som was awarded with the Prêmio Sharp (1996). In 1996, he also performed in the Jerusalem Music
Festival, Israel, and, with the Trio Elétrico in the Montreux Festival and Tübingen Festival (Germany). In 1997, he recorded an album with Raphael Rabello, Rafael Rabelo e Armandinho Em Concerto, and participated in the Free Jazz Festival (Brazil). In 2001, Armandinho performed in the Rock in Rio Festival with Pepeu Gomes. (excerpted from profile by Alvaro Neder in AMG)

Armandinho has been proclaimed by the Brazilian media as The King of Choro, The King of Mandolin, The King of Bahian Carnaval, and The Modern Jacob do Bandolim. His career has held a place in the history of Brazilian popular music as he bridged the gap between classical and popular music. Great mandolinist innovator, his music fuses the styles of Pixinguinha, Jacob do Bandolim, Waldir Azevedo, Radamés Gnatalli with the more recent artistry of Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, and Gilberto Gil, in addition to the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Ranked among the most important Brazilian instrumentalists in the Brazilian history, he has earned a place of honor alongside Pixinguinha, Hermeto Pascoal, Raphael Rabello, and Paulo Moura. (excerpt of profile on MySpace, learn more by clicking here

As an example of a performance by Armandinho I recommend listening to the shown cd with recordings from a live-performance in Rio de Jainero 2002. The music performed contains choro
classiscs in an updated version, appealing to a young audience of today used to attending rock'n'roll concerts. Learn more about the contents of the cd by clicking here

I found a couple of live-performances on YouTube that shares the atmosphere of the mentioned
cd recordings. - Here's a performance by Armandinho and Yamandú Costa playing 'Apanhei-Te
Cavaquinho'

Finally, from a TV-show, also featuring Yamandú Costa, here's a live-performance of Jacob do Bandolim's 'Assanhado'

Jo

Armandinho - Choro & Soccer

Armando Neves (Armandinho) (1902-1974) is regarded as one of the most important figures of choro developed in the city of São Paulo. Learning to play the violão by ear, he never learned music theory. Initially a soccer player, he worked as a professional for Ponte Preta and Guarani. When he switched to the Corinthians he was relocated to the city of São Paulo, and in 1919 abandoned soccer. In that city, he studied violão with his brothers, José Matoso and Joaquim Matoso, and in 1926 with Larosa Sobrinho. Musically illiterate, his gifted intuition allowed him to write sophisticated compositions.

In 1926, Sobrinho took him to Rádio Educadora Paulista, where Armandinho formed the first regional of the city of São Paulo. The group participated in the first radio broadcast between Rio and São Paulo that year. The next year, he joined 'Os Turunas Paulistas', a group led by violão virtuoso Canhoto (Américo Jacomino) who was considered the best of the period. In 1928, he performed with João Pernambuco, João dos Santos, Levino da Conceição, and others. In this year he assumed direction of the Rádio Record group, remaining there until 1956, a period when the radio enjoyed local projection. In 1930 he played for Paraguayan virtuoso violonista Agustin Barrios and recorded two 78 rpms through Parlophon with Larosa Sobrinho. An accomplished accompanist, Armandinho recorded just one solo album, a 78 for Decelith, in 1938.

Above info excerpted from a profile by Alvaro Neder in AMG.

Examples of the compositions by Armandinho are available in one of the programs by Fábio Zanon for Rádio Cultura of São Paulo in the series 'O Violão Brasileiro', the program may be downloaded in MP3 from Fábio Zanon's weblog, click here

As mentioned above Armandinho had a career as a professional soccer before devoting his interest and talent to music. From Zanon's radio feature on Armandinho I learned that one of his choro compositions, 'Choro nº11 - O Dono da Bola', is dedicated to the worldfamous Brazilian soccer virtuoso, Edson Arantes do Nascimento aka PELÉ. I found a video performance of this piece, unfortunately audio and image quality is not the best, but this is what is available. Hope this performance by Danilo Oliveira of "O dono da bola" may give you an impression of the Armandinho choro, anyway.

Jo

Paola Picherzky, 18 Choros de Armando Neves

In the vast Brasilian repertoire composed for the solo violão the works of Armandinho (Armando Neves, 1902-1976) stand out as exemplary samples of music that evolve the choro in a most suitable way for the instrument and with a conception of harmony and melody reflecting both nostalgia and modernism. Like the compositions of João Pernambuco the works of Armandinho have been almost unknwon by the public for decades. The cd shown above, however, reestablish Armandinho among the great composers of choros for the solo violão containing 18 examples of his works within the genre as arranged and played by Paola Picherzky.

Paola Picherzky, who is a member of the higly estimated erudite guitar quartet Quaternaglia since 2007 and a professor of the violão at the Faculdade de Música Santa Marcelina, São Paulo, has researched and transcribed Armandinho's choros for solo violão, and the recorded 18 examples are extremely well executed and a sheer pleasure to be listening to, very balanced and further a top audio quality production - a highly recommended cd that finally may open the ears of the public for the music of Armando Neves. Click on picture of cd to see tracklist and learn more about Paola Picherzky from profile at MySpace and from the website of Quaternaglia.

Armando Neves (Armandinho) (1902-1976) is one of the most important figures of choro developed in the city of São Paulo. Learning to play the violão by ear, he never learned music theory. Initially a soccer player, he worked as a professional for Ponte Preta and Guarani. When he switched to the Corinthians he was relocated to the city of São Paulo, and in 1919 abandoned soccer. In that city, he studied violão with his brothers, José Matoso and Joaquim Matoso, and in 1926 with Larosa Sobrinho. Musically illiterate, his gifted intuition allowed him to write sophisticated compositions.

In 1926, Sobrinho took him to Rádio Educadora Paulista, where Armandinho formed the first regional of the city of São Paulo. The group participated in the first radio broadcast between Rio and São Paulo that year. The next year, he joined 'Os Turunas Paulistas', a group led by violão virtuoso Canhoto (Américo Jacomino) who was considered the best of the period. In 1928, he performed with João Pernambuco, João dos Santos, Levino da Conceição, and others. In this year he assumed direction of the Rádio Record group, remaining there until 1956, a period when the radio enjoyed local projection. In 1930 he played for Paraguayan virtuoso violonista Agustin Barrios and recorded two 78 rpms through Parlophon with Larosa Sobrinho. An accomplished accompanist, Armandinho recorded just one solo album, a 78 for Decelith, in 1938.
(Info excerpted from a profile by Alvaro Neder in AMG)

To end this entry I insert three examples of choros composed by Armando Neves, here performed by Ovidiov, the first video featuring the best known of Neves' choros, 'Choro no 2'



The next choro performed by Ovidiov is 'Choro no 3' by Armando Neves



The final video this time features Ovidiov playing the choro 'Gurú' by Armandinho Neves -enjoy!



Jo

Noites Cariocas

A few weeks ago I got a message from Fernando Gelbard, who is, except a great admirer of the music of Oscar Aleman, also a choro fan. He shared with me three versions of the great tune Noites Cariocas, composed by Jacob do Bandolim.

Noites Cariocas, which means Cariocan Nights, was composed by Jacob do Bandolim in 1957. It became a standard in choro music and it is nowadays on the repertoire of every choro band. The tune is also strongly related to Jacob do Bandolim, like Tico-Tico No Fuba which belongs to Zequinha de Abreu and Carinhoso to Pixinguinha. Remember that playing choro music is a social event. A rodas de choro is a meeting of musicians, who want to play together, and sit in a circle, so they can see each other and make eye contact if necessary. When the musicians want to play, one of the solo instruments starts playing ( the clarinet or bandolim) and the other instruments fill in. If you have an instrument and you like to join the roda de choro, do so - that are some unwritten rules.

It will be clear that in these spontanious improvisations, well known tunes, like Noites Cariocas are used - tunes every participant, skilled or starter, can use as a steppingstone for their musical interactions. In fact this kind of improvisations have the same roots as jazz music and that's what I like in choro music.

Fernando pointed me to three fragments - I will share two of them. You'll see Yamandu Costa and Armandinho in duet and Armandinho and Raphael Rabello playing Noites Cariocas. The third fragment I found and is played by a young guitar player and simply named himself, unpretentious, Eu, which means Me or I His name could be Ederson Moares, as he posted the fragment.

Enjoy it.

Armandinho and Raphael Rabello playing "Noites Cariocas" by Jacob do Bandolim (Jacob Pick Bittencourt) (1918-1969)

Eu (Ederson Moares)

This contribution was also posted in English and Dutch at the Keepswinging web log.

Keep swinging

Hans Koert

keepswinging@live.nl

Antônio Rago - Regional & Solo Violão

The importance of regional and national radio networks cannot be overestimated in the process of spreading choro and making it a significant Brasilian artform.The first radio broadcast in Brazil was aired September 7, 1922 to celebrate the centennial of Brasilian independence. In this first broadcast Pixinguinha and his Oito Batutas were featured playing examples of the group's repertoire, including choros. From then on soon evolved the professional choro ensembles that became the workhorse of the radio industry in the 1930s and 1940s, the conjuntos regionais. These ensembles were based on the choro terno of guitar, cavaquinho and melody instrument (- usually flute) augmented by pandeiro and the seven-string guitar, and they were responsible for accompanying singers and instrumentalists in a wide array of styles. Through radio, the sound of the regoinais reached even the most remote part of the nation, where it became known not just as the music of Rio da Janeiro but as the music of the entire nation. The regionais were usually named after the lead player and they functioned as in-house orchestras, accompanying singers, playing dance music and - choros. These groups also provided background music and music to fill in between acts on live radio shows. The radio regionais often performed live in front of studio audience and were expected to accompany any and all types of repertoire of the day. The demand of high level of performance expected from the musicians helped refining choro in the way we know it today. (Info excerpted from T.E. Livingston-Isenhour & T.G.C. Garcia, "Choro, A Social History of a Brazilian Popular Music" (2005), p. 88-91)

One of many successful conjuntos regionais was led by Antônio Rago (1916-2008), who had his career in radio and TV as a distinguished accompanist of some of the best talents of the Golden Age of Brazilian song. Rago was influenced by the Italo-Brazilian music he heard in his borough of Bexiga and learned to play the violão at 14. He also studied classical music, and his first job was as a member of the regional led by Armandinho.

With leader Armandinho and bandmate Zé Carioca, Rago had success in the group's violão trio. Later he toured Argentina and Uruguay accompanying the singer Arnaldo Pescuma. Returning to Brazil in 1937, he was hired by Rádio Tupi (São Paulo), becoming crooner Francisco Alves's accompanist. Besides leading and performing with his conjunto regional (see picture above), Rago also had a solo career. His first solo recording came in 1940, performing his valse "Velhos Tempos." He wrote music for the animated cartoon 'Cozinhando Um Samba' (1946). His bolero "Jamais Te Esquecerei" (with Juraci Rago) was included in the film 'Quase No Céu' (by Oduvaldo Viana, 1949).

In 1950, the Regional do Rago won the price as Best Regional Group of the year. Rago had his own show on TV Tupi, the first Brazilian television. He also wrote erudite music, like "Flor Triana" and "Sonatina Em Lá Menor". Rago released several LPs of solo work, unfotunately none of these have been re-issued on cd. However, you have an opportunity to listen to some of the recordings by Antônio Rago in one of the programs by Fábio Zanon from Rádio Cultura, SP, to learn more click here

(above info excerpted from article by Alvaro Neder in AMG)

Jo

Paola Picherzky - Armando Neves, Outras Composições

Armando Neves (Armandinho), 1902-1976

The works for solo violão by Armando Neves (Armandinho) have been rediscovered in recent years and widely appreciated thanks to the CD recording of a selection of his choros by Paola Picherzky in 2008. I made a small review of the CD earlier, here - You have the opportunity to listen to the full album at YouTube, here. 

A career profile of Armando Neves (- in Portuguese) is available here, and a short profile of Paola Picherzky (- in English) is available here. 

CD front, Armando Neves, Outras Composições Indepente (Tratore), 2015

Earlier this year Paola Picherzky released the new CD shown above featuring fifteen more compositions for solo violão by Armando Neves, a great supplement to her recording of eighteen of his choros from 2008. The new CD includes only one composition registered as a choro (Choro 7), the remaining tracks are devoted to compositions in other musical genres such as Canção, Valsa, Maxixe, Estudio, Preludio and Gavota, or to music with individual titles but without the stating of the genre. A tracklist of the featured repertoire is available here 

Paola Picherzky

The interpretation of the music at the CD is excellent and done with empathy and flawless mastery of the technical challenges, the result is a very listenable CD that highlights both the beauty of Armando Neves' compositions and Paola Picherzky's capacity as a guitarist and soloist. The CD is highly recommended and is available for purchase as download in mp3 format here 

- To end this, I insert Paola Picherzsky's interpretation of Armando Neves' well known Choro nº2, here from a TV presentation  - enjoy!

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Jo

choromusic.blogspot@gmail.com

De Bandolim a Bandolim

The bandolim is a popular instrument in Brazil and has obtained a major position as a solo voice in choro thanks to great instrumentists in the tradition from Luperce Miranda to Jacob Bittencourt (aka Jacob do Bandolim), and on the contemporary scene the position of the bandolim is maintained and kept up to date by stellar performers like Armandinho, Hamilton de Holanda, Danilo Brito a.o.. Jacob do Bandolim is generally considered the single most important agent in favour of recognising the instrument as a solo voice, his efforts in promoting the instrument and in collecting fitting repertoire of music are of enourmous importance in the still expanding popularity of the instrument. Among the many activities of historic notice maintained by Jacob do Bandolim was his co-oporation with composer Radamés Gnattali in arranging Gnattali's suite 'Retratos' for bandolim and symphonic orchestra documented in the important historic recording of the work in 1964 featuring Jacob do Bandolim as a soloist. The recording of 'Retratos' was an example of the fact that the boundaries between popular music traditionally connected with the bandolim, notably choro, and erudite, compositional work had dissolved, however, the boundaries were never as strictly pointed out in Brasilian culture as elsewhere and especially in European tradition. The aftermath of 'Retratos' meant that choro musicians extended their repertoire to include written music from the erudite compopositional tradition of works by both Brazilians and classical composers like J.S. Bach, Vivaldi and Chopin a.o.

One of the leading figures in this movement was bandolimist Joel Nascimento (b.1937), who founded the Camerata Carioca choro ensemble early 1970'ies with guidance by Radamés Gnattali. Nascimento persuaded Gnattali to arrange his 'Retratos' suite for a choro ensemble and surprised the maestro at a party by bringing in his Camerata Carioca ensemble to perform the re-arranged work, later Gnattali participated in the arranging and recording of a homage to the music of Jacob do Bandolim by Camerata Carioca (LP,1979). The Camerata Carioca ensemble and Radamés Gnattali also had a co-work on the project devoted to music by Vivaldi and Pixinguinha (LP,1980). Since the revival of choro dawned during the 1970s it is no longer unusual to find music by erudite, classical composers mixed with traditional choro works in the repertoire of contemporary choro ensembles. The new cd shown above featuring Hamilton de Holanda and Joel Nascimento reflects this tradition by mixing works by choro icons like Nazareth, Pixinguinha and Jacob do Bandolim with compositions by J.S.Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven in the repertoire of the disc, moreover the cd has a short piece by Radamés Gnattali documenting the importance of his music in contemporary Brasilian culture and in evolving the concept of choro containing both popular and erudite elements.

Last year Joel Nascimento and Hamilton de Holanda went into the studio to record the cd, 'De Bandolim a Bandolim', showcasing the bandolim and the tradition of mixing popular and erudite music. The result is a marvellous experiment documenting for the first time, I think, a duo recording of two bandolins in interplay without a back-up ensemble, further it is the first time Nascimento and Hamilton de Holanda have recorded together. The two musicians, however, know each other well, Hamilton was a student with Nascimento earlier, and this relation shines through and generates an intimate atmosphere in the set-up of the recording. Generally, Joel Nascimento takes the lead voice while Hamilton provides the accompaniment contributing chordal work, fill-ins and rhythmic support, but he is also given space in introducing of themes and gets a chance to show off his exceptional skills as an improviser with complete demand of his chosen instrument, the 10 string bandolim. The role of the two musicians' part in the game is not defined as a teacher-student combination as could be expected, rather it is the nature of the used instruments that defines the roles of both musicians. While Nascimento plays the conventional 8 string bandolim designed for playing lead, Hamilton's 10 string instrument provides the extended possibility of adding elaborate bass lines and complex accompaniment thanks to the two lower strings, thus, the musical possibilities of the instruments point out the appropiate set-up for interplay in the work by the duo.



The cd contains ten titles, four of which are from an erudite reperoire: 'Concerto Para Bandolim e Orquestra II Movimento' (Radamés Gnattali), 'Chorale Prelude 'Nun Komm der Heillan' Adagio' (J.S.Bach), 'Concerto Para 3 Bandolins em G II Movimento' (A.Vivaldi) with guest participation by Armandinho Macêdo to cover the three instruments score and finally 'Sonatina em C Menor' by Ludwig van Beethoven originally composed for piano and mandolin. The remaining titles cover pieces by Catulo da Paixão Cearense/Alfredo Dutra, 'Tu Passaste Por Este Jardim', a romantic theme introducing the cd. 'Gotas de Ouro' by Ernesto Nazareth, a famous waltz from the composer's book, further the choros 'Os Cinco Companheiros' by Pixinguinha and 'O Bom Filho á Casa Torna' by Bonfiglio de Oliveira. There is also a reading of the romantic yet complex 'Falta-Me Você' by Jacob do Bandolim and, surprisingly, a very lively rendition of the tango 'Por Una Cabeza' by Carlos Gardel/Alfredo Le Pere complete with rhythmic tapping on the bandolim box and elaborate improvisation of the theme by the duo. The fascinating mix of repertoire of the disc invites to repeated listening to digest the magnificent contributions by the duo, the cd is definitely designated to highlight the bandolim as a fitting instrument for chamber music of a high level and it is likely that the record may rank as the most important in the category of instrumental music released in Brazil in 2009. You have the opportunity to listen to the music in full length at Radio UOL, click picture of cd above or here to get access.
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To end this small review of 'De Bandolim a Bandolim' I'll insert a couple of video fragments featuring Joel Nascimento and Hamilton de Holanda performing together during a studio recording of the dvd-project "Ao Jacob, seus Bandolins". - The first fragment is a performance of Jacob do Bandolim's 'Alvorada', the bandolinists are accompanied by Rogério Caetano on violão 7 cordas - enjoy!



From the same studio sessions as above, here's an improvised rendition of Jacob do Bandolim's 'Noites Cariocas' - enjoy!

Jo

Choro Frevado

Antônio da Silva Torres (1930-2005), nicknamed Jacaré (meaning 'alligator' in Portuguese), was a gifted, self taught cavaquinho soloist from Recife, Pernambuco. From an early age he was attracted to playing the cavaquinho, his father, an amateur musician, encouraged him to play. When his father died, he soon had to earn his living as a musician and spent most of his lifetime playing bar rooms and local venues in Recife. In 1984-85, however, he was discovered and his music documented in a recording produced by Maricio Carrilho as a part of a musical project devoted to the legacy of the famous Pernambucano composer, Nelson Ferreira. The music was released by the FUNARTE foundation and is still available on a cd, 'Jacaré, Choro Frevado', in the catalogue of Atracão Records. You are able to listen to the cd at CANAL FUNARTE, click here

Discographical details available at Discos do Brasil, click here

As a small follow-up to my contribution last week on string music from Pernambuco related with choro, I highly recommend you to listen to the shown cd, as the music contained is a splendid example of the Pernambucano mixture of different musical traditions. As the title of the cd reads, the music is influenced by both choro and frevo. Like choro, frevo is closely related to the samba, and has grown and adapted into a more modern sound. Musically the frêvo is in the form of a march but is distinguished by its characteristic fast syncopation played in a very fast, binary tempo. Frevo is most popular in Pernambuco state, especially in Recife.

To illustrate frevo I found a couple of performances at YouTube inserted below. The first is a fragment of a live-performance by Armandinho and his trio playing 'Duda no frevo'

The second video features Fred Andrade & Noise Viola performing 'Último Dia'

The last video performance here demonstrates the tight connection between frevo and modern jazz guitar playing. Fred Andrade & Rodolfo Rocha playing 'Lágrima de Folião'

Jo

Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho

The tune 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' was composed 1915 by Ernesto Nazareth and is considered the second most recorded choro by Nazareth next to his 'Odeon'. Actually, the piece 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' is a polca in terms of musical form, but the tune has always been considered a typical choro, as it was adapted early on by choro musicians as part of their standard repertoire. The composition originally was dedicated to the then famous cavaquinho player, Mário Cavaquinho (Mário Álvares da Conceição), a friend of Nazareth and a virtuosic musician, who is said to have invented the five string cavaquinho together with Ary Vasconcelos according to some sources.

'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' was recorded for the first time by the choro group O Passos no Choro, in 1916. Later, in 1930, the composer himself recorded his solo version at the piano, a great historical document to demonstrate Nazareth's conception of the way his composition was supposed to be performed - the recording may be found at the two-disc anthology by Frémeaux, 'Choro 1906-1947' (FA 166).

In 1943 Ademilde Fonseca recorded a vocal version of 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' with words by Darci de Oliveira, a recording that immediately was a success with the public and set the career of Ademilde Fonseca on a successful level. Outside Brasil it may be mentioned that the famous Argentine guitarist and performer, Oscar Alemán, also had a big hit with his instrumental version of 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' in 1943.

The title of the composition means in English 'I Got You, Cavaquinho' and reflects a sudden way of performing when playing in a choro ensemble in the early days. It refers to the spirit of choro, malícia - "(...) an attitude of spirited competition in which one musician strives to outwit the other. "Malícia" refers to the choro soloist who enjoyed throwing off his accompanists with unexpected modulations or virtuosic improvisations. It was said, however, that the delight of audiences was even greater when accompanists showed greater malícia by maintaining their cool and playing through the complex sections with panache and finesse." (quoted from T.E. Livingston-Isenhour & T.G.C. Garcia: Choro - A Social History of a Brazilian Popular Music (2005), p. 10).

I found a couple of uploaded video performances of 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' inserted below.

The first video features a piano player performing the tune as intended by Nazareth

The next video features Zé Carioca, Donald Duck & Ethel Smith from the 1948 cartoon by Disney, "Blame It On The Samba", which for the first time made Americans aware of Nazareth's music

The last video this time features the version of 'Apanhei-te Cavaquinho' by Armandinho & Yamandú Costa in a live-performance

Jo

Violão Sete Cordas

The Brazilian 7-string guitar (violão de 7 cordas) is an acoustic guitar used primarily in choro and samba. It was introduced to Brazil in the early 20th century as a steel string guitar. The style of "baixaria" counterpoint and accompaniment technique was developed throughout the 20th century, especially by Dino 7 Cordas and Raphael Rabello. In the early 1980s, guitarist Luiz Otavio Braga had a nylon string version made, and this has become the norm for most contemporary choro musicians such as Yamandú Costa. - The Brazilian 7-string guitar is typically tuned like a classical guitar, but with an additional C below the low E as follows: C-E-A-D-G-b-e; although some musicians tune the C down to a B resulting in B-E-A-D-G-b-e. (info excerpted from Wikipedia)

It is generally accepted that the first to introduce and use the 7-string guitar in choro was Tute (Artur de Souza Nascimento, 1886-1957). Tute had an extra string (in low C) added to the normal 6 string guitar thus giving birth to the violão sete cordas. He was also stylistically important, defining the role of the accompanist with the baixarias (basslines) classic in the choro style, now adapted to the violão thanks to the seventh string. - When still very young, Tute became a member of the Banda do Corpo de Bombeiros under the conductor Anacleto de Medeiros, playing cymbals and bass drum. As a violonista, he was a member of the orchestra of the sophisticated Cine-Teatro Rio Branco, conducted by Paulino Sacramento. In one of the absences of the renowned flutist Antônio Maria Passos, he introduced the then-15-year-old Pixinguinha to the theater owners and to the conductor. Pixinguinha grabbed the gig due to his extraordinary sight-reading and improvisational skills. - As a member of Grupo Chiquinha Gonzaga with Antônio Maria Passos, Nelson dos Santos Alves (cavaquinho), and sometimes the legendary Chiquinha at the piano, Tute and the group recorded several 78 rpms for Columbia and Odeon in the early decades of the 20th century. An accomplished accompanist, Tute was often requested in early recordings. As a banjoist, he was a member of Orquestra Copacabana. As a violonista, Tute was a member of the renowned Pixinguinha-groups Grupo da Guarda Velha, Os Cinco Companheiros, Gente Boa, and Orquestra da Victor. Tute worked actively in two important radio venues of Rio, Rádio Mayrink Veiga and Rádio Nacional, from 1929 to 1945, being the permanent accompanist of the mandolinist Luperce Miranda. With Miranda, Tute accompanied Francisco Alves, Mário Reis and Carmen Miranda. (info excerpted from article by Alvaro Neder in AMG)

The best known player of the violão sete cordas probably is Horondino José da Silva (aka Dino Sete Cordas, 1918-2006). Dino Sete Cordas was the developer of the seven-string style proposed by Tute. In more than 70 years of active and uninterrupted professional activity, he accompanied uncountable important artists from several different generations and styles, arranging and orchestrating for recordings as well. His co-work with Jacob do Bandolim as a member of Epoca de Ouro and later with Raphael Rabello in a duo-setting stands out as magnificent examples of his development of the way to play the violão sete cordas, and his importance in Brazilian music tradition is still highly regarded. Read more about Dino's importance as a 7-string guitar player clicking here

Here is a video paying homage to Dino Sete Cordas

Among contemporary Brazilian artists that have further developed the playing of the violão sete cordas is Yamandú Costa. To end this, here is a video featuring Yamandú Costa and Armandinho playing "Noites cariocas"

Jo

Um Violão Na Roda De Choro

Zé Paulo Becker (b. 1968 in Rio de Janeiro) graduated in Music at Uni-Rio and holds a Master´s degree in Guitar from UFRJ. He started his career as a classical guitar player and was awarded first prize at the Concurso Nacional Villa-Lobos (1990). In 1994 he focused his attention on Brazilian popular music and played with well-known artists like Zé Renato, Elza Soares, Armandinho, Marco Pereira, Marcos Ariel, Yamandú Costa, a.o. He is a member of the great Trio Madeira Brasil - the world famous choro ensemble thanks to Kaurismekki's documentary 'Brasileirinho, Choro In Rio' (2005). As a guitar soloist, Zé Paulo recorded the CD 'Lendas Brasileiras' (2001, reissued 2011) with 12 arrangements for guitar from Brazilian popular themes. In 2003, his CD 'Sob o Redentor' came out with his own compositions alone and more than 30 participating musicians. In 2004 and 2005 he toured Europe in concerts, and in 2006 he launched 'Um Violão na Roda de Choro' at the Biscoito Fino label. The cd was considered one of the best of the year (2006) by a Jornal do Brasil´s poll. It contains fourteen new compositions in the choro genre by Zé Paulo Becker and again includes several participating musicians - for detailed info, see Discos do Brasil, click here

I have only been listening to this cd once from a local streaming service, but it just took me a couple of minutes to find out that the contained music is marvellous and a must-have in your collection for any person addicted to top-class performance of great choro and related music, fortunately the cd is still available from online retailers, Amazon a.o. - The repertoire of the disc has 14 compositions by Zé Paulo Becker covering the wide field of music connected with the choro style. Themes like 'Choro da Miranda', 'De Pernambuco A Nazareth' and 'Endiabrado' pay hommage to past icons like Carmen Miranda, João Pernambuco, Ernesto Nazareth and Jacob do Bandolim, and contemporary performers like Laércio de Freitas ('Choro Pro Tio'), Guinga ('Althierada - Guinguinana 1' and 'Guinguiniana 2'), Egberto Gismonti & Hermeto Pascoal ('Frevo') and Rogério Souza ('Pro Rogério') also get their share. There are also pieces where the guitar is in focus like 'Serena' showcasting Zé Paulo's excellent technique and performance, and moreover a tune like 'Choro Bebop' exposing the range of inspiration involved in the project. - To give you an impression of the music I insert a couple of uploaded YouTube videos below containing tunes available on the cd. Here is first a performance of 'Choro da Miranda' from an Instrumental SESC Brasil show, recorded in 2008



From the same show as above, here is Zé Paulo's solo performance of 'Serena'

 

Zé Paulo Becker launched another cd in 2008, 'Pra Tudo Ficar Bem', with more compositions of his own and with guest performance by Ney Matogrosso and Zé Renato a.o. - a disc, I haven't heard yet, but certainly will be looking for. Zé Paulo is a great guitarist, who represents the best of the Brazilian tradition and definitly deserves his high ranking among the herd of great performers of his chosen instrument. - To end this, I insert yet another video from YouTube featuring Zé Paulo Becker in a roda de choro setting recorded at Festival Choro Jazz Jericoacoara 2011 - the tune played is Sivuca's
 'Feira de Mangaio' - enjoy!


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Jo

Altamiro Carrilho

The flute has always been an essential instrument in choro, originally taking the melody leading part in the terno (- the founding formation of a choro ensemble consisting of guitar, cavaquinho and flute). In the story of choro great instrumentists like Joaquim Calado, Pattápio Silva, Pixinguinha, Benedito Lacerda, a.o. have composed choros for the flute and exhibited virtuosic skills at playing the instrument.

Altamiro Carrilho (b.1924) is a living legend in Brazil choro and considered one of the most important choro flutists ever. He demonstrated a talent for the flute as a youngster and began his career after winning an amateur talent competition when he was a youth. He worked in a pharmacy during the day and studied his instrument in the evenings. After forming his own ensemble, he had a television show for some time in 1952. His talent as a musician extended to classical music as well as popular. His trademark is the insertion of excerpts of classical pieces into choro, and vice versa. In the 1960s he was invited to give various concerts throughout the world. He has made an extensive numer of recordings, both as an accompanist and as a soloist. Moreover he has written approximately 200 pieces for flute.

A career profile by Alvaro Neder in AMG has more details, click here
If you are familiar with the Portuguese language, learn more about Altamiro Carrilho at
his official website including an extensive discography and audio, to be reached clicking
headline or here

I found a couple of video performances on YouTube featuring Altamiro Carrilho. The first is a potpourri of pieces by Pixinguinha

The secound fragment features Altamiro Carrilho with Armandinho and Época de Ouro in a rendition of "Apanhei-te Cavaquinho" by Ernesto Nazareth

Jo