The Choro of Carolina de Menezes

Carolina de Menezes

Source:  Ubiritan Lustoso

A Carioca born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 31 May 1913, pianist, Carolina Cardoso de Menezes, was the contemporary of Garoto, recording six albums with him. Along with samba, Carolina was a choro performer, the tropical metropolitan beat in Brazil that preceded bossa nova. She trained with several teachers before graduating from the National Institute of Music to work in radio in 1930. Francisco Alves had already recorded her composition, 'Gauchito Formosa' in 1928 issued on Odeon 10.210.

Menezes issued her first 78 rpm records in 1931 for Parlophon, compositions her own and by others: 'Good Bye', 'I Spend' ('Eu Passo'), 'It Was a Dream' ('Foi Um Sonho'), 'She Treats Me Well' ('Ela Me Trata Bem'), 'With Myself' ('Comigo Mesma') and 'Times Gone' ('Tempos Que Se Foram').

Menezes switched to Odeon Records for releases in 1933 and 1934. The labels, Victor, Columbia and Sinter followed, though the larger portion of her issues were with Odeon in the coming decades. Menezes backed other artists in the studio during her career in addition to a large number of her own name recordings.

'Comigo é assim'   Carolina de Menezes

 'It's like that with me'

27 March 1934   Odeon 11.120 A

Composition: Carolina de Menezes

'Preludiando' ('Prelude')   Carolina de Menezes

27 March 1934   Odeon 11.120 B

Composition: Carolina de Menezes

'Gibi Bacurau'   Carolina de Menezes w Jorge Fernandes

26 March 1936   Matrix 5300   Odeon 11.366 A

Composition: Carolina de Menezes

'Carinhoso'   Carolina de Menezes w Garoto

'Affectionate'

12 Jan 1943   Victor 80-0061-B

Music: Pixinguinha   Lyrics: João de Barro

'Fala Bandolim'   Carolina de Menezes w Garoto

'Speak Mandolin'

30 June 1944  Matrix S-078011   Victor 80-0207

Composition: José Augusto Gil

'Carolina Cardoso de Menezes interpreta Ernesto Nazareth'

Album on Sinter SLP 1007   1952

Compositions: Ernesto Nazareth   (1863-1934)

'Rapadura' ('Brown Sugar')  Carolina de Menezes

29 May 1953   Matrix 9728   Odeon 13.489 B

Composition: Carolina de Menezes

'Carmen Miranda'   Carolina de Menezes

Album on Odeon MODB 3023   1953

'Brasil Rock'   Carolina de Menezes

1957   Odeon 14.191

Composition: Carolina de Menezes

'Brejeiro'   Brazilian tango by Carolina de Menezes

From the album 'Carolina Toca Nazareth' on Odeon BWB 1011   1957

Composition: Ernesto Nazareth

'Tapete Magico'   ('Magic Carpet')   Carolina Cardoso de Menezes

Album on Odeon MOFB 3027   1958

'Sete Coroas'   ('Seven Crowns')   Carolina Cardoso de Menezes

From the album 'Os Pianeiros' ('The Pianists')  1986

'No Rancho Fundo'   ('In Rancho Fundo')

Carolina Cardoso de Menezes w Fafá Lemos

From the album 'Fafa & Carolina' 1989

Composition: Ary Barroso

Menezes' last studio release is thought to have been the album, 'Preludiando', issued in 1997.

'Despertar da Montanha'   ('Mountain Awakening')

Carolina Cardoso de Menezes

From her final album 'Preludiando'  1997

Composition: Eduardo Souto

Menezes died of natural causes on 31 December 1997 in Méier, a northern bairro of Rio de Janeiro.