Danilo Brito: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Tom Cole | May 12, 2017 — After four chords, the notes start to fly — Danilo Brito and his four collaborators, three Brazilians and one American, are off like jackrabbits in front of a hound, having hustled their instruments to the Tiny Desk at the end of a North American tour.

Brito a 32-year-old mandolin player, made his first record when he was a teenager, plays a type of music called choro (pronounced "shore-oo").

It's said that choro started in the streets and back yards and made its way to the concert hall. Brazilian musicians of all genres have drawn on choro, from popular composer Antonio Carlos Jobim to Heitor Villa Lobos, one of the giants of Latin American classical music. Its literal translation from the Portuguese is "to cry," but in Brito's dextrous hands a better translation may be "crying out to be heard."

You can hear Brito and his colleagues play their arrangement of Villa Lobos' "Melodia Sentimental," originally written for voice and orchestra, behind the Tiny Desk, but what you're actually hearing is a kind of formal Rodas de Choro, the circles of players who developed this music more than a century ago and have carried it on to the present.

Only — in the backyards, they don't wear suits and ties.

Danilo Brito is available now:

Set List
"Sussuarana"
"Lamentos"
"Tica"
"Melodia Sentimental"
"Pega Ratão"

Musicians
Danilo Brito (mandolin); Carlos Moura (7-string guitar); Guilherme Girardi (guitar); Lucas Arantes (cavaquinho); Brian Rice (pandeiro)

Credits
Producers: Tom Cole, Bronson Arcuri; Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin; Director: Colin Marshall; Videographers: Morgan Noelle Smith, Bronson Arcuri, Colin Marshall; Production Assistant: A Noah Harrison; Photo: Ariel Zambelich/NPR.

[BenjaminMorrenMusic]

Thank you Tiny Desk for introducing me to this artist, I finally know the name of the genre I've loved for all these years: choro!!

[childrenofscarlet]

Brazilian mandolinist are probably some of the most underatted players in the world. Like Hamilton de Holanda and this guy are probably some of the best mandolin players in the world

[isaling]

Fun fact: the interpreter is Brito's wife, Maria Silvia. The Waltz "Tica" is dedicated to her (Tica is a pet name Brito gave her) ❤️

[AndersonSantosSilva]

Chorinho, definitivamente é a cara do Brasil. Coisa linda de se ouvir!

[diannecombs]

Brian Rice to his mom in 7th grade, "But, Mom, I WANT to be a professional tambourine player, why can't I be?" and then he ran off to join a Brazilian traveling choro band, and the rest is history.. he's great! His Momma is proud!

[scottkennethjones]

The guy in middle playing mandolin looks so in love with his music. Beautiful thing to see.

[JoaoPellanda]

You know when someone is from Brazil, when they smile from simple things, Danilo is amazing! Viva Brasil!

[nortonfan]

Lo que no puedo explicarme, es como se llega a este nivel de precision y certeza sin perder el sentido musical y no solo, por asi decirlo, un ejercicio para los dedos. Esto es asombroso, de verdad!! Brasil cuenta con los mejores musicos del mundo, sin duda alguna!

[attarzz]

the main character always in different outfit

[joshmills]

I have been searching for these artists and didn't even know it! A couple dozen strings and amazing hands and they transform the little NPR studio into the streets of São Paulo or Rio.

[ligialewis]

Thanks, NPR for expanding our cultural horizons with this extraordinary group . They are amazingly proficient and disciplined musicians bringing us some wonderful music from far away and long ago. George Lewis, Sr.

[phile]

His mandolin as my eternal soundtrack is all I ever wish for.

[rafaelpernil]

This reminds me to the wonderful musician Hamilton de Holanda. I love it!

[caique_pessoa]

O Brasil mostrando o que tem de melhor!

[ThexxJonesxx]

Please invite yamandu costa and hamilton de holanda!

[yogowc]

00:00 - Sussuarana
04:03 - Lamentos
07:54 - Tica
12:15 - Melodia Sentimental
15:26 - Pega Ratão

[bluetollbooth]

I saw these guys play at the Savannah Music Festival. They were freaking amazing!

[pickupyourlaces]

This is literally what I listen to in my car and the baby loves it 💗

[sanpon]

I love Choro! It's so sentimental!

[Gassyyetclassy]

How can you not groove to this? Beautiful