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Thread: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

  1. #1

    Default Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    I am interested in learning to play choro, and wondering where to start. What are the top 10 or 12 choro to learn? I will be registering for the choro week at the 2019 Centrum in Port Townsend, WA, but would like to have a few under my fingers before that. Any suggestions? Thanks!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Here is the list I have come up with so far:
    1) Tico Tico no Fuba
    2) Odeon
    3) Um a Zero
    4) Lamentos
    5) Brezeiro
    6) Carinhoso
    7) Noitas Cariocas
    Any further suggestions? Also I should mention that I have Marilyn Mair's book, Mike Marshall's book, and the Jacob do Bandolim's book/cd play along book, as well as Volume 1 of the White book. I'm just looking for advice about where to focus my initial attempts to learn the style and techniques. Also, I am listening (all the time) to as many choro as I can fit in during the day.

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  4. #3

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Santa Morena, Doce de Coco, perhaps Benzinho. Oh, and Recieta de Samba. Some of your choices are pretty tough to play, I assume you have experience on the mandolin. If not, start with a more simple tune that will teach you some of the patterns you will see all over this music. For me, that was Doce, Recieta and Benzinho.
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    Registered User DavidKOS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    http://ekladata.com/WM0rB1nX2eExNYHB...HORO-VOL-1.pdf

    choro book vol 1

    https://www.swiss-jazz.ch/choro-brasileira/vol-2.pdf

    book 2

    These have many great choros.

    Some of my favorites:

    Quote Originally Posted by James Todd View Post

    3) Um a Zero
    4) Lamentos

    Jacob do Bandolim
    Ah Cavaquinho

    Brasileirinho

    Cavaquinho Sesteiro

    Ingenuo

    Os 8 Batutos

    Delicado

    Naquele tempo

    Segura Ele

    Vou Vivendo

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  7. #5

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Thank you Gary, excellent suggestions. I am fairly competent with the mandolin, although I have been away from it for a few years. I have been studying classical and jazz guitar for awhile now but am enjoying the process of re-acquainting myself with mando, and am also learning to play choro on the guitar.
    I will add those to the list!

    David, what great resources! Thank you very much!

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    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Good suggestions from everyone! A few days ago I found myself on the same island with some old friends I used to play choros with in Vancouver, plus a terrific Cuban percussionist. We did a quick rehearsal and pulled together a little house concert, a set of eight choros plus one bossa (Wave). Choros included Chorando baixinho, Pedacinhos do ceu, and Carinhoso. Those are all slowish pretty ones, but we picked things up with Receita de samba, Noites cariocas, and Um a zero. Some others I really enjoy playing are Proezas de Solon, Arranca toco, Cochichando, and Chorei. But the repertoire is huge-- a friend who now lives in Rio and regularly attends jams there says that from week to week he rarely hears tunes repeated.

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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    In practice I always return to these exciting pieces:
    Gostosinho
    Bole Bole
    Murmurando

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  11. #8

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    See below

  12. #9

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Bruce Clausen: Exactly! The choro repertoire is huge! These are great suggestions, thanks. It is hard to know where to start. Perhaps a better question would be "is there a set of choro standards that would be a good entry point to the music?". I like the tunes you listed and will look for recordings of the ones not already in my collection.
    John Morton: I don't know any of those but will look them up and add them to my list, thanks!

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    Registered User Justin Carvitto's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    James,

    I've been to centrum before. There is a strong emphasis on learning by ear. I would recommend you pick a song that you really like and jump into it. Dudu will help refine your interpretation. You will hear many many tunes over the week, its a bottomless pit of awesomeness.
    dunno

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    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Yes, by all means listen all you can to live bands and recordings. Lead sheets will give you the notes, but can't teach you how to function in a band. Aside from Jacob do bandolim's recordings that most of us know, I'll recommend a few more fine band recordings. I'm not sure which of these are still available, but they're worth looking for.

    "Pixinguinha": on Iris (France). Sixteen original recordings with Pixinguinha and Benedito Lacerda (1940's?).

    "Café Brasil": on Teldec (Germany). Sixteen cuts by a variety of great players and singers, done around 2000.

    Paolo Moura and Os batutas, "Pixinguinha": on Blue Jackal (US). Sixteen cuts from a very great live concert with an all-star band (1996).

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  17. #12

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Glad to hear about the emphasis on learning by ear, which is a weakness in my playing and something I am determined to improve.
    "a bottomless pit of awesomeness"...
    Thanks for the listening recommendations Bruce!

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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    One of my favorites and one I actually managed to memorize (but not to lay faultlessly up to speed) is Diabinho Maluco (Jacob).

    I don't know where the OP lives but I would highly suggest getting to concerts and workshops where the real choro guys are playing. For awhile Dudu was coming to NYC and I managed a few years ago to set up a small workshop at a friend's apartment. Now most of the players seem to end on the west coast when they come to North America.

    I can't imagine learning both choro guitar and bandolim at the same time. The overlap some (melodically) but I would think are polar opposites in many ways, You may be spreading yourself a bit thin IMHO.
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Here’s a list generated by the session participants here:

    Andre de Sapato Nova
    Apanhei-te Cavaquinho
    Assanhado
    Bole-Bole
    Bonicrates de Muleta
    Brejeiro
    Carinhoso
    Cochichando
    Doce de Coco
    Gaucho
    Liberta Coronha
    Naquele Tempo
    Noites Cariocas
    Odeon
    Os Oito Batutas
    Proezas de Solon
    Receita de Samba
    Tico-Tico
    Vaique eu to te Vend
    Vibracoes
    Last edited by Tom Wright; Nov-21-2018 at 5:42pm.
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  23. #15

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Jim, I live in Indianapolis. There is the Chicago Choro Club that meets monthly and I will be heading up there to watch and participate, but as far as I can tell there is no choro scene in Indy or anywhere closer. Indianapolis needs choro, and I am going to be the guy who brings it!

    - - - Updated - - -

    Tom Wright, that is a great list, thanks!

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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    I can't imagine learning both choro guitar and bandolim at the same time. The overlap some (melodically) but I would think are polar opposites in many ways, You may be spreading yourself a bit thin IMHO.
    If one was a beginner on each instrument, I'd agree.

    However, if you already play violao and bandolim ( guitar and mandolin) then learning choro style on both would work, as they would re-inforce each other musically. Frankly, it's easier to learn the chords on guitar!

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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    I looked more closely and noticed the list included a couple of ringers, recent tunes by Dudu Maia—-Libertad Coronha and Vai que eu to te vendo. Dudu had some tunes available for download from his web site, and I’ve enjoyed those two for a while, so I brought them to our roda.
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidKOS View Post
    If one was a beginner on each instrument, I'd agree.

    However, if you already play violao and bandolim ( guitar and mandolin) then learning choro style on both would work, as they would re-inforce each other musically. Frankly, it's easier to learn the chords on guitar!
    I can see that however the players I have seen specifically Douglas Lora (who will be at Centrum) does considerably more than chordal rhythm. I can watch a top level mandolin player like Dudu Maia play bandolim and understand what is going on (and still be amazed) but Douglas' guitar playing incorporates an orchestra of techniques covering bass, melody and countermelody all with syncopation and unbelievable finesse.
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    Douglas' guitar playing corporates an orchestra of techniques covering bass, melody and countermelody all with syncopation and unbelievable finesse.
    Yeah, ain't it cool? That the style I dig - he's even covering 7 string guitar style.

    But one can begin with getting the basic rhythms and chords together and add the fancy stuff later.

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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidKOS View Post
    Yeah, ain't it cool? That the style I dig - he's even covering 7 string guitar style.

    But one can begin with getting the basic rhythms and chords together and add the fancy stuff later.
    I guess the prime recommendation to anyone not entirely familiar is to listen to lots of choro. Total immersion. I wish I could go to Centrum one day or at least get Dudu to come back to the east coast.
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    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Garber View Post
    I guess the prime recommendation to anyone not entirely familiar is to listen to lots of choro. Total immersion. I wish I could go to Centrum one day or at least get Dudu to come back to the east coast.
    Lots of hours of listening is necessary to learn any musical style! Good point!

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  36. #22

    Default Re: Top 10 (12?) choro to learn

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidKOS View Post
    Lots of hours of listening is necessary to learn any musical style! Good point!
    Listening, yes! Here is what happened that sparked my interest in choro: This summer my wife bought us tickets to the Anhat Cohen and Trio Basiliero concert at the Indy Jazz Fest. Now, I was familiar with choro from the week at Marilyn Mair's AMGUSS week some years ago, and at the second and third year of the Mandolin Symposium, where I heard lots of choro from Mike Marshall and Hamilton DeHolanda, and others, but I was into other stuff at the time and the choro did not speak to me. However, at this concert, when I heard the music and saw the warmth and love that Dudu, the Lora brothers, and Anhat had for each other, I was really moved. Since then, I have been listening non-stop and exclusively to all the choro I can find, and have accumulated a significant library of choro music for both guitar and mandolin that I am working through. My poor wife, she had no idea what she was opening up with those tickets! My immediate goal is to learn several standard choro, and the long term goal is to establish a roda de choro here in Indianapolis.

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