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Jørgen - Theo - Hans

The Alemaniacs in Copenhagen

My next step into the field of choro was not taken until recently, when I got involved in the El Redescubrimiento de Oscar Alemán project together with my friends, Hans Koert and Theo van de Graaff. While planning our mutual presentation of this project last summer in Copenhagen at the IAJRC convention I had come upon the idea to do some research regarding the South American roots of Oscar Alemán’s music and guitarstyle. Alemán was strongly influenced by the Brasilian music tradition besides jazz and the tango and milonga of his homeland, Argentina. He had recorded Brasilian tunes and always maintained to perform this music as originally intended by its composers. Through his Argentinian career in the 40’ies, 50’ies and again during the early 70’ies Alemán also recorded some choro tunes in between popular and wellknown swingtunes.

Oscar Alemán y su conjunto - Con Ritmos de Brasil

You’ll find classic choro tunes like Tico Tico no fúba and Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho on an Argentinian compilation entitled Oscar Alemán con Ritmos de Brasil released by EMI in Argentina, this CD has also Alemán’s own choro composition, Dedos Duros. From the 1970’ies are his recordings by the Redondel label most rewarding, also regarding choro – he has a splendid solo rendition of Pernambuco’s Sons de carrilhões and an ensemble reading of Pixinguinha’s Carinhoso, both deserved mentioning as a supporting argument for Alemán’s involvment with choro. For further details regarding Oscar Alemán, have a look at Hans’ website concerning the “El Redescubrimiento de Oscar Alemán” project including an online discography'.

El redescubrimiento de Oscar Aleman

Jørgen Larsen


Jacob Do Bandolim
During my research of Alemán’s musical roots I started listening to selected recordings from the huge catalogue of issued Brasilian recordings, not knowing where to begin or end. I took a lot of chances while selecting, thereby coming to know the great recordings by Jacob do Bandolim from the 50’ies and 60’ies, now reissued by BMG/RCA of Brasil in a proper 3 CD box (RCA 7432179712).

Then, somewhere on the internet I read a small survey on the life and career of Carmen Miranda, the great first lady of Brasilian samba, singer, actress and moviestar. I learned she had her career both in Brasil and the USA, and somewhere in the text was mentioned her first tour of the US together with her band of musicians, the *Bando do Luá e Garoto. The name of Garoto* was mentioned more times headlining her accompanying guitarist of the band, I got curious and decided to hear some of the recordings that was made in 1939-40. I found them on a compilation of Carmen Miranda hits from that time (Living Era, AJACD5242).

Jørgen Larsen



*It was of the same high standard as Oscar Aleman’s, had the same sense of rhythm and – swing,*	Around half of the 25 tracks on the Miranda CD has guitarist Garoto in a leading position accompanying Miranda’s singing besides playing intros, taking solos at length and adding drive to the rhythm and backing vocal of the band. When I listened to the CD for the first time I ‘recognised’ Garoto’s playing style at once, it was of the same high standard as Oscar Aleman’s, had the same sense of rhythm and – swing, adding durable quality to these otherwise charming recordings. Miranda’s famous recording of “Tico-Tico” is on the CD and has Garoto taking a solo, which is much alike Aleman’s from his Quintet recording of the tune in 1943.

Carmen Miranda web site
Jørgen Larsen