Antônio Pecci Filho(born July 6, 1946), better known asToquinho(Portuguese pronunciation:[toˈkĩɲu]), is a Brazilian singer and guitarist. He is well known for his collaborations, as composer and performer, withVinicius de Moraes.[1]

Toquinho
Background information
Birth nameAntônio Pecci Filho
Born(1946-07-06)July 6, 1946(age 78)
São Paulo,Brazil
GenresBossa nova
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, composer
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Years active1964–present
Websitewww.toquinho.com.br

Childhood and musical studies

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Toquinho was born inSão Paulo,the son of Italian immigrants Diva Bondioli and Antonio Pecci. He has one brother, João Carlos Pecci. His paternal grandfather was fromToro[2]and his paternal grandmother was born inCalabria;his maternal grandparents were fromMantua.[3]As he was very short as a child, his mother used to call him "meu toquinho de gente" ( "my piece of person" ), which was the origin of his nickname.

His first guitar lessons were with Dona Aurora, a piano teacher who also knew how to play guitar. However, she could not continue to teach Toquinho. At age 14, he began lessons withPaulinho Nogueiraand went on to study harmony with Edgar Gianulo, classical guitar with Isaias Sávio and orchestration with Léo Peracchi. He also studied with and befriendedOscar Castro-Neves.

Career

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Initially playing in colleges, Toquinho's professional career took off in the 1960s at shows promoted by radio personality Walter Silva at the famous Paramount theater in São Paulo. He composed his first recorded song withChico Buarqueentitled "Lua Cheia" (Full Moon).[1]His first big hit was composed in 1970 withJorge Benjor,"Que Maravilha" (What a Wonder).

That same year he was invited byVinicius de Moraes,co-writer of the worldwide hit "Garota de Ipanema"(The Girl from Ipanema), to participate in a series of shows in Buenos Aires, forming a solid partnership that would continue for 11 years and produce 120 songs, 25 records and over a thousand shows. After the death of Vinicius de Moraes in 1980, Toquinho went on to pursue a solo career, often performing with other talented musicians likePaulinho da Viola,Danilo Caymmi,Paulinho NogueiraandChico Buarque.

Throughout his career, Toquinho composed songs for children, and recorded five albums for young audiences, includingArca de Noé(1980), with Vinicius de Moraes, andCasa de brinquedos(1983). Toquinho continues to record and play, and he remains popular in Brazil and Italy.[4]

In2021,his albumToquinho e Yamandu Costa - Bachianinha (Live at Rio Montreux Jazz Festival)(withYamandu Costa) won theLatin Grammy AwardforBest Instrumental Album.[5]

Discography

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Bibliography

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  • Gildo De Stefano,Il popolo del samba. La vicenda e i protagonisti della storia della brazilian popular music,preface by Chico Buarque de Holanda, introduction by Gianni Minà, RAI Television Editions, Rome, 2005.ISBN8839713484
  • João Carlos Pecci and Wagner Homem,Toquinho, Histórias de canções,Texto Editores Ltda., Sao Paulo, 2010.ISBN978 8562936708
  • Gildo De Stefano,Saudade Bossa Nova: musiche, contaminazioni e ritmi del Brasil,preface by Chico Buarque, introduction by Gianni Minà, Logisma Editore, Florence, 2017.ISBN978-88-97530-88-6

References

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  1. ^abBonacich, Drago."Toquinho: Biography".AllMusic.RetrievedAugust 28,2011.
  2. ^TheToquinho Toro Festivalis held there for some years, in 2010, was sponsored by theMinistero per i Beni Culturaliand the Brazilian Embassy in Rome
  3. ^Ana Paula Torres."Toquinho, gli amici e l'Italia".musibrasilnet.it(in Italian).RetrievedJune 11,2014.
  4. ^Toquinho, gli amici e l'ItaliaInterview with Ana Paul Torres
  5. ^Hussey, Allison; Bloom, Madison (November 18, 2021)."Latin Grammy 2021 Winners: See the Full List Here".Pitchfork.Condé Nast.RetrievedDecember 30,2021.
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