Brazilian Rhythms on the Keyboard: Keyboard/Piano Book & CD

This book treats Brazilian music with genuine pedagogical rigor rather than surface-level exotica. Teixeira sequences the styles logically, building rhythmic vocabulary across thirteen distinct traditions, and provides original compositions that let pianists internalize each style's character through their own hands rather than just transcribing recorded grooves.

Each style carries its own character: the sophisticated swing of bossa nova, the infectious propulsion of samba, the street-wise character of partido alto, the lyrical restraint of choro. Moving through this book, you're not just learning rhythms; you're absorbing the emotional and social contexts that shaped these forms.

This book serves pianists and keyboard players from intermediate level onward who want to move beyond generic Latin rhythms into authentic Brazilian styles. It works equally well for jazz pianists expanding their harmonic and rhythmic toolkit, classical pianists seeking repertoire that bridges concert and contemporary music, and students preparing for performances that demand culturally informed playing.

• Listen to the included CD examples before practicing each style; the rhythmic inflections and phrasing in bossa nova, samba, and partido alto cannot be fully captured by notation alone.
• Work through the reference section after learning the foundational styles so you understand how harmonic movement, bass lines, and rhythmic feels interact across Brazilian music traditions.
• Practice the original music examples slowly at first, isolating the left-hand rhythmic pattern from the right-hand melody until both layers sit comfortably under your hands.
• Record yourself playing each style and compare your phrasing to the CD; Brazilian keyboard music demands a conversational relationship between hands that standard technique books rarely address.

Feature individual Brazilian styles in concert programming to offer audiences something beyond the standard Latin-jazz crossover material. A pianist working through this book can prepare a recital focused on Brazilian piano music, or use individual styles as encore pieces that showcase versatility. In a jazz or contemporary music curriculum, the book serves as a direct entry point into Latin idioms without requiring transcription work.

• Reading and performing rhythmic patterns across thirteen Brazilian musical styles
• Left-hand bass line independence and regional rhythmic figures (samba rhythm, partido alto clave patterns, baião pulse)
• Harmonic language of bossa nova and choro, including chord substitutions and reharmonization techniques
• Stylistic interpretation and phrasing within each tradition
• Listening and transcription skills using the included CD to verify rhythmic feel and articulation