Rio Antigo Street Market Honors “Chorinho” Music this Saturday

By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Saturday, April 7th, the Feira Rio Antigo street market returns to Rua do Lavradio, in Lapa, from 10AM to 7PM. This month’s edition will be honoring the Carioca music genre, “chorinho,” with free shows, 400 handicraft stalls and a flea market.

Originating in Rio de Janeiro, choro, popularly known as “chorinho”, is considered to be the first Brazilian urban music. Having both European and African influences, like the polka and the lundu, respectively, “chorinho” is characterized by a particular way of playing rhythms like samba, maxixe, polka, and valsa.

Officially celebrated on April 23rd, the National Day of Choro will be hosted at the Rio Antigo market this Saturday, April 7th, alongside the group, Pixin Bodega, who will perform at the event at 4:30 PM.

Popular among Laranjeiras local residents, Pixin Bodega plays every Saturday at the General Glicério market. The band honors two great names from choro music: Pixinguinha (composer, saxophonist, and author of classics like “Carinhoso”) and Zé Bodega.

The group is further composed of the musicians Nina Oliveira (flute), Jorge Mendes (seventh chords guitar), Vinicius Santos (bandolim), Sergio Zoroastro (cavaquinho), Almir Bacana (tantan), Luis Carlos Souza (pandeiro), and Lauro Mesquita (percussion). The band will present a fine repertoire of compositions by Jacob do Bandolim and Ernesto Nazareth, among others.

“Besides playing the classics, we will also tell stories related to the history of “chorinho”, especially the ones about Pixinguinha, our great master,” says instrumentalist Almir Bacana.

Also performing at the Rio Antigo will be the group, “Cavalo Marinho da Paraíba”. Led by Nélio Torres, the group will perform, “Cavalo Marinho”, a type of music originating from the Northeastern states of Paraíba and Pernambuco and inspired by local celebrations from the Three Kings’ Day.

At 2:30 PM, the group will depart from Avenida Mem de Sá in Lapa and head to Praça Emilinha Borba, on the corner of Rua do Lavradio and Rua do Senado.

Held at Rua do Lavradio for over 20 years, the “Rio Antigo” street market happens every first Saturday of the month, gathering over 400 stalls and attracting around 20,000 visitors. Additionally, a variety of bars and restaurants that surround the market will be open this Saturday.

What: “Rio Antigo” Street Market
When: this Saturday, April 7rd – 10AM to 7PM
Where: Rua do Lavradio – Centro
Entrance: FREE