Toquinho

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

Childhood and musical studies

Toquinho was born in São Paulo, the son of Italian immigrants Diva Bondeolli Pecci and Antonio Pecci, and has one brother, João Carlos Pecci. His paternal grandfather was from Toro and his paternal grandmother was born in Calabria; his maternal grandparents were instead from Mantua. As he was very short during his childhood, her mother used to call him "meu toquinho de gente" ("my piece of person"). This is the origin of his nickname.

He was always the number one student in his class. However, this situation caused him some physical and emotional problems. So, he started playing guitar as a solution to these problems. His first guitar classes were taught by Dona Aurora, a piano teacher who also knew how to play guitar. However, she could not continue to teach Toquinho. In fact, the songs he wanted to learn, like João Gilberto and Carlos Lyra, were too difficult for her.

At 14 years old, he studied guitar with Paulinho Nogueira and went on studying harmony with Edgar Gianulo, classical guitar with Isaias Sávio and orchestration with Léo Peracchi. He also studied with and befriended Oscar Castro-Neves.

Career

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 with Chico Buarque entitled "Lua Cheia" (Full Moon). His first big hit was composed in 1970 with Jorge Benjor, "Que Maravilha" (What a Wonder).

That same year he was invited by Vinicius de Moraes, co-writer of the worldwide hit song "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 like Paulinho da Viola, Danilo Caymmi, Paulinho Nogueira and Chico Buarque.

Throughout his career, Toquinho always composed for children, and has five albums for children, including Arca de Noé (1980), with Vinicius de Moraes, and Casa de brinquedos (1983). Toquinho continues to record albums and play his music around the world. He is still very acclaimed in Brazil and Italy.

Discography