Henrique Cazes Biography

Dedicated to the rootsy genres of samba and choro, Henrique Cazes has been active in the music scene of Rio de Janeiro as a researcher, musician, arranger, and professor. Cazes started to play the violão (acoustic guitar) at six. As a self-taught musician, he also learned the cavaquinho, mandolin, banjo, and viola. In 1976, he debuted as a professional in the group Coisas Nossas. In the ’80s, he was a member of the Camerata Carioca, where he met mandolinist Joel Nascimento and composer/conductor/orchestrator Radamés Gnattali, having been heavily influenced by both. As an accompanist, he worked with Nara Leão and Elizeth Cardoso. In 1988, he launched himself as a cavaquinho soloist with his album Henrique Cazes, the first of several. Cazes founded and directs the Orquestra Pixinguinha, specialized in the master’s arrangements that Cazes tries to adapt. He also writes soundtracks for cinema, theater, and TV.