Pixinguinha

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Pixinguinha

Background information
Birth name	Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho
Born	April 23, 1897 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	February 7, 1973 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, composer, arranger, instrumentalist
Instrument(s)	Saxophone, flute
Years active	1911-1973

Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho, better known as Pixinguinha, (April 23, 1897 - February 7, 1973) was a choro composer, arranger, flutist and saxophonist born in Rio de Janeiro. Through the legacy of the pioneering choro composers of the 19th century and of the Afro-Brazilian tradition, Pixinguinha produced the most important choro works of all time. Edifying the choro as a musical genre, he conferred on it personality and identity. Some of his notable compositions include "Carinhoso" and "1 X 0" ("Um a Zero").

[edit] Biography

From an early age, Pixinguinha was a distinguished flutist and wrote his first piece at 13. When he grew older, he began the revolutionary musical group Os Oito Batutas. This ensemble was the first Brazilian group featuring the jazzy instrumentation of the trumpet, trombone, and saxophone. After receiving a gig for the dance couple, Duque and Gabi at the Assírio cabaret, they were discovered by the wealthy Eduardo Guinle who solely sponsored their first European tour in 1922. Their tour was a complete success and Pixinguinha received much praise from many distinguished Parisian musical artists including the famed Harold de Bozzi. In 1940, Pixinguinha initiated one of the most distinguished musical periods in the history of Brazil in which composition was revolutionized by improvisation to musical counterpoint.