Os Carioquinhas

Origin

Rio de Janeiro, RJ

Years active

1977

Genres

choro, samba instrumental

Instruments

seven-string guitar, cavaquinho, guitar, clarinet, mandolin, pandeiro

Biography

Os Carioquinhas was a Brazilian musical group formed in 1977, emerging during a revival of the choro genre. The ensemble was composed of young musicians who would later achieve significant individual success in the Brazilian music scene. The core members included Raphael Rabello on seven-string guitar, Luciana Rabello on cavaquinho, Maurício Carrilho on guitar, Celso Alves da Cruz on clarinet, Paulo Magalhães Alves on mandolin, and Celso José da Silva on pandeiro. Their music was characterized by a relaxed yet swinging approach to choro, a style that blends elements of samba and European dance music.

The group's most notable achievement was the release of their first and only album, "Os Carioquinhas no Choro," recorded between June and August 1977 and released by Som Livre. This album featured a selection of classic choro compositions and included guest appearances from renowned musicians such as Altamiro Carrilho, Joel Nascimento, Zé da Velha, and Afonso Machado. One of the tracks, "Gadu Namorando" by Alcyr Pires Vermelho, gained prominence as the theme music for a major news program on TV Globo. The album is considered a significant contribution to the choro revival of the 1970s.

Following the success of their album, the members of Os Carioquinhas embarked on individual careers, becoming prominent figures in Brazilian instrumental music. Raphael Rabello, in particular, became one of Brazil's most celebrated seven-string guitar virtuosos before his untimely death in 1995. Luciana Rabello and Maurício Carrilho also continued to be highly respected musicians and composers in the choro and instrumental music scene. Some members later collaborated in the formation of Camerata Carioca, a group that further explored and modernized the choro idiom.