Braguinha (composer)
Carlos Alberto Ferreira Braga, commonly known as Braguinha or João de Barro, was a Brazilian songwriter and occasional singer.Life
He was born in Rio de Janeiro, 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", as his father wouldn't approve of seeing the family name associated with the world of samba and popular music, then on the fringes of society.
Braguinha is most famous for his Carnaval marchinhas. 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.
In 1937, Braguinha wrote the lyrics to "Carinhoso", 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.
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 Parlophon 78
- Desengano/Assombração Parlophon 78
- Salada Parlophon 78
- Não quero amor nem carinho Parlophon 78
- Dona Antonha Parlophon 78
- Minha cabrocha/A mulher e a carroça Parlophon 78
- Quebranto Parlophon 78
- Mulata Parlophon 78
- Cor de prata/Nega Parlophon 78
- Tu juraste… eu jurei/Vou à Penha rasgado Parlophon 78
- Samba da boa vontade/Picilone 13.344 78
- O amor é um bichinho/Lua cheia Parlophon 78
- João de Barro RCA Victor LP
- Viva Braguinha LP
- João de Barro e Coisas Nossas Funarte LP
- Yes, nós temos Braguinha Funarte/Atração CD
- João de Barro — Nasce um compositor Revivendo CD
- João de Barro – A música do século, por seus autores e intérpretes Sesc São Paulo CD
