Mauricio Einhorn

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years active

1937

Genres

bossa nova, jazz, choro, mpb

Instruments

harmonica

Biography

Mauricio Einhorn is a renowned Brazilian harmonica player and composer who was born in Rio de Janeiro on May 29, 1932. The son of Polish Jewish immigrant parents who also played the harmonica, he began playing the instrument at the age of five and performed at his school until he was thirteen. By his early teens, Einhorn was already performing on prominent Brazilian radio talent shows and eventually integrated jazz and choro elements into his playing style during the 1950s.

Throughout his extensive career, Einhorn became a key figure in the bossa nova movement, collaborating with major artists such as Baden Powell, Durval Ferreira, and Luiz Carlos Vinhas. He has recorded numerous notable compositions, including "Estamos Aí" and "Tristeza de Nós Dois," which became staples of Brazilian popular music. His career also took him to the United States in the 1970s, where he performed with renowned jazz musicians like Jim Hall and Ron Carter, as well as fellow Brazilian artists like Eumir Deodato and João Donato.

In addition to his prolific recording output and contributions to film soundtracks, Einhorn has dedicated decades to teaching the harmonica to new generations of musicians, mentoring artists such as Gabriel Grossi. His technical mastery and unique approach to the instrument have earned him a lasting legacy alongside international legends like Toots Thielemans. He continues to be celebrated as one of the definitive masters of the harmonica in Brazil.