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Friday, 6/13 8pm CHORO DEMOCRATICO
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 Choro Democratico is a newly formed Boston-based group that features Fernando Brandão on flute, Chris Richards on violin, Luciana Araripe on mandolin, Adam Bahrami on cavaquinho, Tom Rohde on 6-string guitar, Jason Davis on 7-string guitar and Keita Ogawa on pandeiro. The group plays a mixture of traditional and modern choro as well as some original compositions by group members.Choro Democratico plays a type of Brazilian music called choro, which is an instrumental style that has its origins in Rio de Janeiro of the late 1800s. Choro melds European dance forms such as polkas and waltzes with typically Brazilian rhythmic feels, including samba and maxixe. The instrumentation usually includes at least one melody instrument, such as flute, mandolin, or violin. The rhythm and harmony are played by the cavaquinho, a kind of high-pitched guitar, while the bass is played by 7 or 6-string guitar. Small percussion such as the pandeiro, similar to the North American tambourine, usually adds the swing that is so essential to Brazilian music. Although the portuguese word chorar suggests crying or sadness, choro music ranges the emotional gamut from meloncholic to festive. Choro is played in various ensemble formats and many groups have updated the style with influences from jazz, pop, and Brazilian folkloric styles. |