Pixinguinha

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Pixinguinha
Background information
Birth name	Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho
Also known as	Pizinguim, Bexiguinha, Pexinguinha, Pixinguinha
Born	(1897-04-23)April 23, 1897
Origin	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Died	February 17, 1973(1973-02-17) (aged 75)
Genres	Choro, Maxixe, Samba, Waltz, Jazz
Occupation(s)	Songwriter, composer, arranger, instrumentalist
Instrument(s)	Saxophone, flute
Years active	1911–1973
Website	pixinguinha.com.br

Alfredo da Rocha Viana Filho, better known as Pixinguinha (Portuguese: [piʃĩˈɡiɲɐ]) was a pioneering Brazilian composer, arranger, flutist, and saxophonist born in Rio de Janeiro. Renowned for his contributions to Brazilian popular music, Pixinguinha is especially celebrated for his role in the development of choro, a genre of Brazilian music that blends Afro-Brazilian rhythms with European influences. Some of his most iconic compositions include: "Carinhoso", "Glória", "Lamento", and "Um a Zero"^[1], all of which remain integral to the Brazilian music canon.

Pixinguinha revolutionized choro by merging the traditional music of 19th-century composers with modern jazz-inspired harmonies, sophisticated arrangements, and Afro-Brazilian rhythms. This innovative approach not only broadened the genre’s appeal but also helped establish choro as a distinctive and celebrated aspect of Brazilian cultural heritage.^[2]

Pixinguinha was among the first Brazilian musicians to embrace the emerging technologies of radio broadcasting and studio recording, which played a key role in bringing his music to a wider audience.