Manuel Falleiros
Lívio Almeida
Introduction
From the performer’s perspective, musical improvisation is a complex act of real-time creation, deeply rooted in the musician’s musical experiences, cognitive abilities, and motor skills. It is distinguished from fixed performance by its ephemeral nature and the inseparability between the act of creating and the act of executing, making it a fertile field for individual expression and musical interaction. It can be said that improvisation is not merely the application of pre-existing rules, but a process of continuous discovery and reinvention, in which intuition and experience play crucial roles. One way to seek an understanding of a creative process — since we understand musical improvisation as such — would be to observe which aesthetic choices are made by the artist, as well as the reasons that lead to such choices. At this point, biographical research is crucial for a deeper understanding of an artist’s style and originality, since life trajectory and sociocultural context intrinsically shape artistic production. The analysis of the relationships between life and work allows one to uncover the influences, motivations, and experiences that manifest in aesthetic and thematic choices, which is fundamental to deciphering the authenticity and innovation present in an artist’s art. Although Brazilian improvisation is not consistently referred to as a central characteristic of its musical manifestations, we can observe the expression of improvisation in its originality and autonomy across various manifestations, such as *repente*, *coco*, *samba de roda*, and, notably, *choro*. Unlike jazz practices, improvisation in *choro*, for example, is deeply rooted in oral tradition and experiential learning, with distinct origins and purposes (Martins, 2012). This specificity demands a musical understanding grounded in the values of the musicians’ own community. As an example, the improvisational approach of saxophonist Nailor Azevedo (Falleiros, 2013) exemplifies a Brazilian creative paradigm, focused on melodic variation over repetition, without relying exclusively on approaches derived from jazz methodologies. This work aims, through the analysis of the improvised solo by saxophonist Edu Neves on the composition *Caminhando* (Nelson Cavaquinho and Nourival Bahia), to present the manifestation of the dynamics in the constitution of musical structures that express the complex and interactive phenomenon of improvisation, structured by its own stylistic conventions.
The Formative Trajectory of Edu Neves
Eduardo Tartarelli Neves, known artistically as Edu Neves, is an important Brazilian instrumental musician whose trajectory stands out for the creation of an artistic identity that encompasses the *choro* style and musical improvisation. Neves began his musical studies as a child, at the age of ten, in Rio de Janeiro, immersed in the culture of *choro*, a musical genre that profoundly marked him. Although his family had no professional musicians, Neves actively sought out his idols, such as Altamiro Carrilho and Abel Ferreira, demonstrating an autonomous inclination toward the style. From an early age, he also developed an interest in public performance, simulating shows and expressing a “desire to be seen” (Neves, 2023). His musical initiation took place with the recorder at school, a playful activity that allowed his natural talent to emerge. In parallel, he explored the *cavaquinho* [^1] in a self-taught manner, plucking and noting chords to understand harmony empirically. This process evidences his exploratory and self-determined method, which anticipated a career focused on practical and intuitive learning. Contact with flutist and saxophonist Carlos Malta was decisive, leading Neves to migrate to the transverse flute in pursuit of greater technical development. However, formal conservatory teaching did not dialogue with his identity, which was always closer to *choro*, leading him to seek masters aligned with his musical aspirations, such as saxophonist and flutist Copinha. The relationship with Copinha, marked by a “completely playful” teaching approach and close friendship, had a profound impact, also providing contact with other major references in Brazilian music. Adolescence was a decisive period, when Neves chose to remain in Rio de Janeiro even as his parents moved to Switzerland, affirming his connection to *choro* and Brazilian music as his primary “business.” This early commitment consolidated his professional trajectory. During this phase, the renewed encounter with Carlos Malta and the proximity to Hermeto Pascoal elevated his artistic vision, establishing important contacts with renowned musicians and expanding his professional network. His first paid experiences occurred at the age of fourteen, at political rallies and *choro* sessions, especially at the traditional gathering at Bar Cabeça Feita, in Ipanema. Immersion in the *choro* universe involved an intense search for sheet music and interaction with masters of the genre, strengthening his practical formation as a *chorão* [^2]. Contact with Rodrigo Lessa marked the expansion of his repertoire and an openness to influences beyond *choro*, exploring genres such as jazz, initially with some resistance. The introduction of the saxophone into Neves’s musical life occurred at the age of sixteen, when he acquired a soprano saxophone. However, the instrument itself presented technical issues that mitigated his musical development despite his persistence. Subsequently, at the age of eighteen, he received from his parents a tenor saxophone that had belonged to Hermeto Paschoal. This new instrument added both practical and symbolic value, since his musical references had always been concentrated on the musicians from Paschoal’s group formations, such as Carlos Malta and Nivaldo Ornelas, and Hermeto Paschoal himself. The foray into the saxophone can clearly indicate significant aspects in the construction of Neves’s musical conception. The saxophone is an instrument largely associated with North American jazz; consequently, its sonic identity is indelibly intertwined with improvisation. However, the saxophonistic conceptual references for Neves were already grounded primarily in Paschoal’s Brazilian music proposal, which values regional and traditional Brazilian manifestations as its foundation. In this way, the role of the saxophone as expressed through improvisation becomes infused with Brazilian characteristics. Therefore, for Neves, the reference to “jazz” — represented by improvisation — no longer immediately evoked the North American jazz genre, but rather a sonority gestated by multiple influences, including jazz itself. His formative trajectory reveals much about the conception of his improvisational style. The originality of Eduardo Neves in musical improvisation does not stem from a deliberate search for a specific style or from a systematic study of individual references. As he himself states, he “plays what he is” (Neves, 2023, verbal information), reflecting an organic approach intrinsic to his musical experience. His formation is marked by inspiration from various saxophonists, such as Zé Bodega, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Carlos Malta, and Nivaldo Ornelas, whose influences were absorbed in an unpremeditated manner, resulting in his unique sonic identity. This practical experience of the musician, encompassing skills and learned materials, perception and problem-solving strategies (Pressing, 1987), is fundamental to his creative process. Neves does not consider himself a jazz saxophonist and prioritizes communication with the audience and the performance of his own repertoire, which aligns with the idea that improvisation is a means for the artist’s authentic expression and a reflection of his personal musical ontology (Bertinetto, 2022). His musical synthesis, therefore, becomes intertwined with his life history, evidencing the inseparability between the improviser and his art.
Musical Improvisation from the Improviser’s Perspective
Seeking to observe the complexity and multiplicity that enables the construction of an improvisation — expressed through a stylistic or genre vehicle — we bring forth the voice of the improviser himself. Neves’s music emerges from an experiential and particular process, a lived and unique process that transcends categorizations, manifesting itself as an authentic expression of his individuality. Neves (2023) affirms that his musical approach is not based on a deliberate search, but rather on a spontaneous manifestation of his essence, reflecting his identity in the act of playing. When questioned about the origin of his style and musicality, Neves (2023) clarifies that his approach does not derive from a conscious search or deliberate intention, but rather from personal preference. He exemplifies this stance by mentioning saxophonist Zé Bodega as a source of inspiration, having interacted with Carlos Malta and Nivaldo Ornelas, and having drawn upon the musicality of North American saxophonists such as Dexter Gordon and John Coltrane. However, he states that he never dedicated himself to the exhaustive transcription of improvised solos or to the in-depth study of a particular style grounded in a single reference, but rather collected fragments that respected and contributed to his musical perspectives. Neves (2023) declares that his primary objectives in music include technical excellence, intonation, sound quality, precision in execution, harmonic understanding, the capacity to improvise, composition, and the presentation of original works. He expresses appreciation for jazz, but reflects on the viability of developing professional work in that genre, questioning the existence of audiences, sponsors, and festivals to support it. It is observed that his narrative does not prioritize a specific musical genre, indicating that his purpose is not specialization in jazz, but rather the qualified execution of styles embedded in his cultural context. His conception of musical practice is more related to the artist’s capacity for communication with the audience than to adherence to a style or the prestige of a genre. Neves considers it essential that the artist discover his expressive originality within his own cultural context for the realization of his creative potential with the audience. In addition to compositional experiences — many of them developed alongside his group Pagode Jazz Sardinha’s Club, which promotes the fusion of diverse musical elements — improvisation is equally perceived as a modality of expression and experimentation. Musical improvisation, viewed from his practices and reflections, is a complex and simultaneous process of creation and execution of music, involving rapid and continuous decisions, encompassing cognitive, motor, and contextual aspects. Pressing’s (1987) theory emphasizes that improvisation requires several interconnected processes, from neurological signals to sensory monitoring and the iterative generation of the next musical actions. Furthermore, procedural memory — habits and motor patterns acquired through practice — is fundamental to improvisational performance, forming the musician’s set of experiences. For Bertinetto (2022), improvisation is a unique, ephemeral, and temporally irreversible event, impossible to reproduce in exactly the same form, integrating creation and execution as a single inseparable act. He highlights that traditional musical ontologies, which separate work (type) and performance (token), do not apply to improvisation, since the latter is neither a work nor a mere performance, but a singular phenomenon that cannot be classified by the type/token duality. Improvisation, therefore, is an expression in which the creative process is embedded in performance in the present moment.
Musical Improvisation from the Perspective of Brazilian Music
Comparatively, musical improvisation is not generally recognized as a deterministic or central characteristic of Brazilian music. It is worth recalling that a country of “continental dimensions,” capable of blending the diverse cultures arising from continuous migratory processes throughout its history, possesses particular expressions of improvisation — as in the styles of *repente*, *coco*, *samba de roda*, *choro*, among others — with a rich tradition connected to its regional culture. Improvisation also represents a characteristic element of Brazilian music, assuming specific forms in various genres, and in the instrumental case with particular prominence in *choro*. This practice is deeply rooted in oral tradition and learning through imitation and lived experience, which make improvisation in *choro* an intrinsic component of its performance. Martins (2012) emphasizes the fundamental distinctions between improvisation in this genre and practices originating from jazz. Although jazz has influenced contemporary *choro* musicians, improvisation in *choro* has distinct origins, purposes, and modes of execution that differ significantly from jazz. Martins (2012) highlights that didactic literature based on jazz may not adequately address the specificities of improvisation in *choro*, underscoring the importance of studies that privilege the understanding of the practices and values attributed by the *chorões* [^3] themselves, in order to avoid preconceived notions. The metaphor of improvisation as “conversation,” widely used by these musicians, suggests a dynamic and interactive dialogue, reinforcing the relational and communicative character of improvisation in *choro*. This perspective gains support in historical studies such as that of Cesar Albino and Sonia R. Albano de Lima (2011), which situate improvisation as a constitutive element in the genesis of popular musical styles, such as ragtime and *choro*. They note, however, that the fixation of these genres in written scores led to a diminishment of formal improvisation, evidencing a historical movement in which improvisatory practice frequently loses ground as musical manifestations become institutionalized. Regarding the Brazilian perspective on improvisation, Falleiros (2013) highlights the case of Nailor Azevedo, known as “Proveta,” whose improvisational approach reflects a genuinely national creative paradigm. Azevedo developed a style of improvisation not supported by formal methodologies or jazz models, but rather by a tradition of his own, which values melodic variation over strict repetition, as transmitted through paternal teachings. This melodic conception, centered on thematic proximity and variation, contrasts with the emphasis on clichés and scales characteristic of other schools, evidencing a creative ethos aligned with the aesthetics and values of Brazilian music. Complementing these views, Raphael Ferreira da Silva (2017) addresses improvisation within popular instrumental music from a systemic perspective. This approach understands improvisation as a complex and interactive phenomenon, in which simultaneous creation during performance emerges from a system formed by the interaction between musicians, their social contexts, and the conceptual elements inherent to the musical genre. Silva emphasizes that, although there is unpredictability in improvisation, it is delimited by stylistic rules and conventions that structure a specific behavioral field, preventing the practice from becoming chaotic. Thus, improvisation is seen as an ordered, yet dynamic and emergent process, characteristic of Brazilian popular instrumental music. In this way, the study of improvisation in Brazilian music, especially in *choro* and other popular styles, reveals a practice that encompasses but is not limited to paradigms imported from jazz, sustaining itself on its own traditions and values, which legitimize a specific cultural identity. The emphasis on orality, active listening, and social interaction configures improvisation as a living and adaptive musical dialogue, reflecting the complexity and richness of Brazilian popular music as a cultural and artistic expression.
Analysis of the Improvised Solo in *Caminhando*
The *choro* *Caminhando*, composed by Nelson Cavaquinho and Nourival Bahia, was originally released in 1973 by the Odeon record label, on the LP *Nelson Cavaquinho*. The version under analysis was performed live on March 12, 2018, at the Teatro Anchieta of SESC Consolação in São Paulo, SP, as part of the SESC Brasil Instrumental series, featuring the participation of the regional group Semente (RJ) and Eduardo Neves as a guest artist. The performance included the musicians João Callado (cavaquinho), Bernardo Dantas (seven-string guitar), Bruno Barreto (voice and percussion), Marcos Esguleba (percussion), and Maninho (percussion).
Rhythmic Elements
A prominent rhythmic element in the examined solo is the characteristic syncopation, often referred to as representative of Brazilian music (popularly and informally known as *garfinho* [^4]), which consists of a sixteenth note followed by an eighth note and another sixteenth note (Seve, 2015, p. 43). The melody of the *choro*, over which the instrumentalist improvises, also exhibits a significant presence of this rhythmic figure, with the opening phrase of the melody being paraphrased at the beginning of the solo through the application of said rhythmic figure with repeated notes. The following excerpts from the solo demonstrate that the continuous use of this figure is present at various moments, both at the beginning, middle, and end of phrases: > Ex. 1: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 1. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 2: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 8. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 3: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 25. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 4: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 27–28. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 5: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 34. Source: transcription by the author. The example above presents a melodic construction based primarily on the typical Brazilian syncopation figure. In the example below, this typical figure is reiterated, forming a rhythmic sequence of syncopated eighth notes. This type of approach is recurrently described in the literature as a typically Brazilian rhythmic phrasing, commonly referred to as “*síncopa*” [^5], when in reality Seve (2015) explains its relational existence with the construction of a counter-metric quality — that is, a rhythmic pattern that counteracts the constant metric background. > Ex. 6: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 60–61. Source: transcription by the author. In general, one can note the predominance of phrasing supported by sixteenth-note patterns with legato articulation and emphasis on the 2nd sixteenth note (referring to a grouping of four sixteenth notes that complete the 1st beat of the pulse). This emphasis is typical in Brazilian genres and is also present in *choro*. This emphasis, in addition to being given by articulation, can also be expressed by phrases that begin on the second sixteenth note, among other means, such as the positioning of slurs. In the example below, one can observe how slurs and articulations favor rhythmic emphasis: > Ex. 7: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 10–13. Source: transcription by the author. Regarding the appearance of tuplets, they are not very frequent, and their use is related to the concept of “rhythmic flexibility” in *choro* as described by Seve (2015, p. 224). A phrase constituted of sixteenth notes may acquire a tuplet contour, since the interpretation allows for a rhythmic flexibility (Seve, 2015). Thus, the appearance of tuplets is rather an effect resulting from an *agogic* [^6] quality inherent to the style. In the examples below, some of these instances can be noted: > Ex. 8: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 7. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 9: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 20. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 10: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 34–35. Source: transcription by the author. A final notable rhythmic element in this solo is the use of anticipation on the last sixteenth note of the 2nd beat, in consonance with the counter-metric pattern of *samba-choro* (Seve, 2015, p. 53). This anticipation appears frequently, particularly at the ends of four-measure phrases: > Ex. 11: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 3–4. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 12: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 25. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 13: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 34–35. Source: transcription by the author. ### Melodic Elements Among the melodic resources applied by the instrumentalist in improvisation, a predominance of arpeggios in consonance with the original harmony is noted, characterizing improvisation by paraphrase, as well as scalar material. The arpeggios are most often accompanied by ornamental notes described by Almada as “typical melodic inflections of *choro*” (Almada, 2005, p. 29). The author describes several inflection formulas found in Neves’s style. In this context, we find arpeggios formed from the notes of the chord in question. Within the phrasing, we also find arpeggios embellished with inflection notes, as described by Almada, as well as some inflection formulas. The most frequently encountered inflection notes were passing tones, both diatonic and chromatic. In addition, we found neighbor tones, appoggiaturas, escape tones, and suspensions. Among the inflection formulas, a tendency toward the use of formulas derived from the *cambiata* [^7] was observed. The following examples provide a mapping of these occurrences. In Example 5 [^8], several forms of the application of the passing tone (PT) are found, which appears to be the most frequent inflection note in the solo analyzed here, in addition to others, such as lower neighbor tones (LN). This characteristic promotes a more scalar character when used diatonically, as is more predominantly the case here. A greater use of chromatic passing tones (CPT) over dominant chords is also noted. The blue numbers above the notes refer to the scale degree in relation to the chord in question. > Ex. 14: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 20. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 15: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 24. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 16: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 29. Source: transcription by the author. The *cambiatas* are used as a form of “enveloping” (an effect we shall term *encirclement* for the purposes of this work) of certain chord tones. Here, a similarity is noted with the construction of *enclosures*, frequently used in various styles of North American jazz. The main difference here is that these *cambiatas* occur predominantly on diatonic notes, whereas jazz enclosures are, for the most part, chromatic. In the example below, several instances of the use of *cambiata* inflection are found, which proves more common within the solo in its diatonic form: > Ex. 17: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 6. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 18: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 8–9. Source: transcription by the author. Below, the use of neighbor tones in phrase construction is highlighted: > Ex. 19: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 24, 33. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 20: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 24, 33. Source: transcription by the author. The inflection formulas described by Almada (2005) can also be found frequently in this solo. The inflection formulas derived from the *cambiata* are the most common, as shown in the example below: > Ex. 21: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 10. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 22: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 12. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 23: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 22. Source: transcription by the author. ### Phraseology In the phraseology, an organization of musical ideas is observed that is quite coherent with the form of the music and even with the phrase structure of the original theme. The melodic ideas are predominantly structured in groups of 4 measures, and some movements of the melodic development reinforce typical characteristics of *choro* melodic construction, presenting elements such as *anaphora* [^9] and repetition (Seve, 2015, pp. 153–154). In the following example, three excerpts from the solo are highlighted that exemplify, respectively, the use of anaphora, repetition, and, finally, a combination of anaphora with inversion: > Ex. 24: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 1–4. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 25: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 36. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 26: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 52–53. Source: transcription by the author. A relevant aspect of the solo occurs between measures 42 and 48, when the improviser refers to the original melody of the theme in a varied manner. In this specific passage, it can be said that the soloist temporarily adopts the paraphrase improvisation format, as described by Givan (2003). It is important to highlight that, although the theme is a *choro*, the analyzed solo predominantly follows the *chorus* format, evidencing the particular processes of appropriation used by Neves. In Example 68 [^10], this manifestation in the solo can be observed: > Ex. 27: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 41–49. Source: transcription by the author. ### Harmonic Approach In the harmonic approach, the presence of a reasoning close to the typical melodic construction of *choro* is perceived, evidenced by the use of scalar material associated with tonal centers in certain passages, as confirmed by the instrumentalist in an interview. Among the examples that illustrate this idea, two cases stand out: in the example below (11) [^11], the use of the harmonic minor scale over dominant chords that resolve to minor chords is observed; in the following example (12) [^12], there is a frequent use in the *choro* language, also mentioned by the artist, of the melodic minor scale applied over minor chords: > Ex. 28: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 29–30. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 28: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 63–64. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 29: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 12. Source: transcription by the author. ### Sound Manipulation In this solo, with regard to sound manipulation, the improviser maintains a fairly constant density and register, with the objective of reflecting and “paraphrasing” the melody. Indeed, a variation of the melody emerges in section B. This procedure evokes elements of traditional *choro*, where improvisation by paraphrase, as described by Givan (2003), is strongly associated with the genre. Two moments of increased density and register are highlighted in Example 13 [^13]: the first, in which the improviser uses thirty-second notes to delineate a cadenza before resuming the phrasing; the second, in which there is a brief use of the super-high register on the saxophone, initiating a phrase in anaphora, as noted in the analysis of the melodic layer: > Ex. 31: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, m. 41. Source: transcription by the author. > Ex. 31: Excerpt from Eduardo Neves’s solo, mm. 36–37. Source: transcription by the author.
Final Considerations
The analysis of the improvised solo by Edu Neves in the piece *Caminhando* reveals the incorporation of rhythmic and melodic elements characteristic of Brazilian *choro*, as well as procedures that identify with the jazz school of improvisation. The Brazilian syncopation (*semicolcheia–colcheia–semicolcheia* [^14]) permeates the solo. The predominance of the sixteenth note in melodic construction, with legato articulation and emphasis on the second sixteenth note, is also notable and evokes the typical accentuation of Brazilian music. Melodic resources include arpeggios, supplemented by inflection notes typical of *choro*, such as passing tones, neighbor tones, appoggiaturas, escape tones, and suspensions. The *cambiatas* are employed for the “encirclement” of chord tones, with diatonic predominance. Anticipation on the last sixteenth note is a frequent rhythmic element, especially at the ends of four-measure phrases. The phraseology of the solo aligns with the form of the music, employing anaphora and reiteration, and at certain moments the soloist refers to the original melody of the theme in a varied manner, temporarily adopting the paraphrase improvisation format, as described by Givan (2003). Harmonically, there is the use of scalar material by tonal centers, including harmonic minor and melodic minor scales over specific chords. The integration of these elements demonstrates the complexity and richness of the improvisational language developed by Edu Neves, which respects the rhythmic and melodic traditions of the genre, while simultaneously exploring variations and incorporating related procedures from jazz culture that enrich his creative performance. Thus, as proposed, this work has presented the musical elements that indicate a path for Brazilian improvisation based on the analysis of the improvised solo by Edu Neves. It is hoped that this work may contribute to the clarification of an improvisational language that encompasses the diversity of Brazilian culture itself.
References
ALBINO, César; LIMA, Sonia R. Albano de. O percurso histórico da improvisação no ragtime e no choro. Per Musi, Belo Horizonte, n. 23, p. 71-81, jan./jul. 2011.
ALMADA, Carlos. A Estrutura do Choro. Rio de Janeiro. Da Fonseca Comunicação. 2005
BERTINETTO, Alessandro. Ontologia Musical: Uma visão através da improvisação. Artefilosofia, Ouro Preto, n. 32, p. 57-77, maio 2022. Tradução de Walter R. Menon Jr.
FALLEIROS, Manuel Silveira. Existe uma improvisação brasileira? O paradigma criativo de Nailor Azevedo “Proveta”. In: CONGRESSO DA ASSOCIAÇÃO NACIONAL DE PESQUISA E PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM MÚSICA, 23., 2013, Natal. Anais […]. Natal: ANPPOM, 2013.
GIVAN, Benjamin. Jazz Taxonomies. In: Jazz Research News, v. 10, p. 472-486. 2003.
NEVES, Eduardo [Entrevista cedida a] Lívio Almeida. Brasília, 2022.
MARTINS, David Rangel Diel de Carvalho. Improvisação no choro segundo chorões. 2012. 111 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Música) – Escola de Música, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 2012.
PRESSING, Jeff. Improvisation: Methods and Models. In: SLOBODA, J. (ed.). Generative processes in music. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987.
SÈVE, Mário. : uma análise de estilo por padrões de recorrência. Dissertação de Mestrado, UniRio. 2015
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End Notes
[^1]: *Cavaquinho*: a small four-stringed instrument of Portuguese origin, widely used in Brazilian popular music, particularly in *choro* and *samba*.
[^2]: *Chorão* (pl. *chorões*): a musician who plays *choro*, typically one deeply immersed in the oral tradition and social practices of the genre.
[^3]: See note [^2].
[^4]: *Garfinho* (literally “little fork”): a colloquial term used in Brazilian popular music to refer to the characteristic syncopation figure consisting of a sixteenth note, an eighth note, and a sixteenth note.
[^5]: *Síncopa*: the Portuguese term for syncopation, here used in its specific Brazilian popular music sense to denote a rhythmic figure that creates counter-metric tension against the underlying pulse.
[^6]: *Agogic*: pertaining to variations in tempo and rhythm used for expressive purposes in musical performance.
[^7]: *Cambiata*: a melodic figure in which a note is approached and left by step in the same direction, often used as an ornamental device. In the context of *choro*, it functions similarly to the jazz *enclosure*, surrounding a target note with adjacent pitches.
[^8]: The original text refers to “Example 5” in this passage; however, the numbering in the source document appears to reflect a broader numbering system within the original publication.
[^9]: *Anaphora*: in music, the repetition of an opening melodic figure or motive at the beginning of successive phrases, analogous to the rhetorical device of the same name in literature.
[^10]: The original text refers to “Example 68,” which appears to be a reference to the broader numbering system of the original publication from which this article is drawn.
[^11]: The parenthetical “(11)” refers to the example numbering within the broader original publication.
[^12]: The parenthetical “(12)” refers to the example numbering within the broader original publication.
[^13]: The parenthetical “Example 13” refers to the example numbering within the broader original publication.
[^14]: *Semicolcheia–colcheia–semicolcheia*: the Portuguese notation for sixteenth note–eighth note–sixteenth note, the rhythmic cell constituting the characteristic Brazilian syncopation figure.