Carlos Alberto Ferreira Braga (March 29, 1907 – December 24, 2006), commonly known as Braguinha ("Little Braga") or João de Barro ("the
Hornero
The hornero birds are members of the genus ''Furnarius'' in the family Furnariidae, native to South America.
Horneros are brown birds with rather short tails and fairly long bills. They are known for building mud nests that resemble old woo ...
"), was a Brazilian songwriter and occasional singer.
Life
He was born in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...
, where he lived all his life. Braga studied architecture in his youth, and, when he started to write songs, he adopted the pseudonym "João de Barro" (the name of a bird that builds elaborate mud nests), as his father wouldn't approve of seeing the family name associated with the world of
samba
Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havi ...
and popular music, then on the fringes of society.
Braguinha is most famous for his
Carnaval
Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival ty ...
''marchinhas'' (a genre of light-hearted songs related rhythmically to the military
march
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March ...
). Many of those, some composed as early as the 1930s, have become standards of Brazilian popular music, being sung by revellers year after year during Carnaval celebrations. His ''marchinhas'' have been recorded by some of the best-known Carnaval singers of the 20th century, such as
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda, (; born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, 9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the late 1920s onwards. Nicknamed "The Br ...
.
In 1937, Braguinha wrote the lyrics to "
Carinhoso
''Carinhoso'' is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast by TV Globo. It premiered on 2 July 1973 and ended on 18 January 1974, with a total of 173 episodes. It's the twelfth " novela das sete" to be aired at the timeslot. It is created by La ...
", composed by
Pixinguinha twenty years earlier. The sophisticated
samba-choro would become one of the most recorded songs in Brazilian musical history. Another beloved classic, the lyrical "Pastorinhas", was written in collaboration with legendary samba composer
Noel Rosa
Noel de Medeiros Rosa (December 11, 1910 – May 4, 1937) was a Brazilian songwriter, singer, and guitar/mandolin player. One of the greatest names in Brazilian popular music, Noel gave a new twist to samba, combining its Afro-Brazilian roots wi ...
.
He died on December 24, 2006, at the age of 99; the official cause of death was described as
multiple organ failure caused by a
general infection.
Selected discography
* Pra vancê/Coisas da roça (1929) Parlophon 78
* Desengano/Assombração (1929) Parlophon 78
* Salada (1929) Parlophon 78
* Não quero amor nem carinho (1930) Parlophon 78
* Dona Antonha (1930) Parlophon 78
* Minha cabrocha/A mulher e a carroça (1930) Parlophon 78
* Quebranto (1930) Parlophon 78
* Mulata (1931) Parlophon 78
* Cor de prata/Nega (1931) Parlophon 78
* Tu juraste… eu jurei/Vou à Penha rasgado (1931) Parlophon 78
* Samba da boa vontade/Picilone (1931) 13.344 78
* O amor é um bichinho/Lua cheia (1932) Parlophon 78
* João de Barro (1972) RCA Victor LP
* Viva Braguinha (1985) LP
* João de Barro e Coisas Nossas (1983) Funarte LP
* Yes, nós temos Braguinha (1998) Funarte/Atração CD
* João de Barro (Braguinha) — Nasce um compositor (1999) Revivendo CD
* João de Barro – A música do século, por seus autores e intérpretes (2000) Sesc São Paulo CD
External links
Official page celebrating Braguinha's 90th birthdayBraguinha (João de Barro)Carlos Alberto Ferreira Braga
1907 births
2006 deaths
Deaths from multiple organ failure
Musicians from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Brazilian songwriters
Samba musicians
{{Brazil-composer-stub