Luperce Miranda, and later, Jacob do Bandolim, were responsible for the presence of the mandolin in the Brazilian popular music scene. Before them, the mandolin was used sporadically and always as accompaniment. The crescent soloist activity of these renowned musicians imposed the instrument in a broader circle. Miranda played and recorded with the who's who of Brazilian popular music. Among his recordings, both as a soloist and accompanist, he left around 900 registers. He wrote around 500 compositions in several genres, such as choro, valse, and frevo. He was the first to be awarded by the Image and Sound Museum of Rio with the title Bacharel da Música Popular Brasileira (1970). At the same time, he was a noted professor, having founded the Academia de Música Luperce Miranda. A superb musician of irreproachable technique, he forged his style in the Neapolitan school, leaving to do Bandolim the honor of the development of a Brazilian school of the instrument. He began to play the mandolin at eight, writing his first composition, a frevo, at 15. In the following year, he organized the Jazz Leão do Norte, a nine-piece orchestra in which he played the piano. In spite of what he declared (and what was widely rumored), he never took part in the Turunas da Mauricéia group. The group did record his tunes in their first contract with Odeon (1927), though they did all with Augusto Calheiros (the Patativa do Norte): the canção "Belezas do Sertão," the samba "O Pequeno Tururu," and the embolada "Pinião," which was the hit of the Carnaval of 1928. In 1927 he formed the group Voz do Sertão, who included a violonista (acoustic guitar player), Meira, who would later become nationally famous. He moved to Rio at age 24, in 1928, invited by João Pernambuco and Pixinguinha and bringing the Voz do Sertão. They recorded several of his songs soon after their arrival in Parlophon. In 1929, he formed the Regional Luperce Miranda, who were hired by Rádio Clube do Brasil. Together with Almirante, he recorded with the Bando de Tangarás. Almirante recorded his "Vaca Maiada," written with Manuel Lino. He accompanied the greatest stars of his time, like Carmen Miranda (he wrote the introduction to "No Tabuleiro da Baiana"), Francisco Alves, Mário Reis, Noel Rosa (in the first recording of "Com que Roupa?"), and others. In 1931, he performed in Argentina, including radio performances (Radio El Mundo) with Carmen Miranda, Francisco Alves, Mário Reis, Tute, Célia Zenatti, and Nestor Figueiredo. In 1936, he moved to Rádio Mayrink Veiga, and in 1945 to Rádio Nacional, both in Rio. In 1946 he moved to the Northeast, returning to Rádio Nacional in 1955 and staying until his retirement in 1973. In 1950, he toured the Federal Republic of Germany. In 1994, the label specializing in historical research, Marcus Pereira, released the CD História de um Bandolim, and in the following year, the contemporary virtuoso Pedro Amorim released another CD dedicated to him through Saci, Pedro Amorim Toca Luperce Miranda. ~ Alvaro Neder, Rovi