Choro Da Alegria: Pam Beaty (7-string guitar, cavaquinho), Esteban Diaz (percussion), Peter Fung (guitar), Tom Pinit (bandolim (Brazilian mandolin))
Choro Da Alegria – Portland based ensemble dedicated to playing beautiful melodies of Brazil. The group draws much inspiration from the genre “Choro” (also called chorinho) which means “cry” or “lament” and which is sometimes called “Brazilian ragtime.” Despite its meaning, the music, created in the late 19th century in Rio de Janeiro, commonly has very fast, virtuosic, and happy-sounding melodies. The group plays many choro classics, including the compositions of two of choro’s greatest composers, Jacob do Bandolim and Pixinguinha (Alfredo Viana). Beyond choro, the group also performs classic tunes in the Bossa Nova and Musica Popular Brasileira (MPB) repertoires, such as music by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luiz Bonfa, and Paulinho da Viola. The group released its first CD, “quiosque,” in June, 2015.