Getting Into Brazilian Choro Mandolin

It's not much of a secret anymore (here in North America) that the mandolin is alive and well in Brazil.

While the mandolin in the U.S. has become associated with rural music, in Brazil the mandolin emerged primarily as an urban instrument, in the music called choro.

Luperce Miranda was an early star of choro mandolin. His compositions and flashy style reflect the Italian roots of Brazilian mandolin.

Jacob Bettencourt or "Jacob do Bandolim" pioneered a new style of playing choro on the mandolin, and in fact invented a new style of mandolin, one modeled on the Portuguese guitar found in fado music.

Jacob's new mandolin (or bandolim) is still the preferred model among today's generation of bandolinistas.

You can hear me play a choro on an actual bandolim in this performance of Naquele Tempo by Pixinguinha (full chart below.)

This beautiful brand new instrument was in fact built right here in my neck of the woods, the Pacific Northwest, by luthier Alan Simcoe. 

I can't get enough of this new instrument, thanks Alan!!