Caxixando by Ricardo A. Coelho de Souza is a short solo for a pair of caxixis, which are instruments typical of northeast Brazil. The caxixi is most often used as a single shaker. The player holds it in their right hand along with a stick used to play the berimbau (an Afro-Brazilian instrument). The combined sounds of the berimbau and the caxixi is characteristic of the popular capoeira, a material art disguised as a dance that was developed by African slaves during the colonial period in Brazil. In Caxixando, the composer explores the expressive qualities of these simple baskets filled with seeds, which require a sophisticated playing technique. The title is a respelling of the word coshishando, which refers to a whispering type of conversation usually associated with gossip.
