- country:Portugal
- style(s):Ethnic, Jazz
- label:Universal
- artist posted by:Bremme & Hohensee GbR
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MÁRIA JOÃO & MÁRIO LAGINHA -- BIOGRAPHY
The portuguese singer Maria João is an international recording and performing artist. Since 1995 her records are released by Verve and she has also given several concerts with pianist Mário Laginha all over the world.
Her voice seems to be, at one time, strange and natural, and Mário Laginha’s piano sounds perfect for the many influences of Maria João, who never gets too far from her portuguese background. Her amazing ability to transform delicate musical structures into tones, words and whispers is singular and simply amazing.
Since 1982 she recorded and performed in groups and duets in very different formats. After the beginning of her career, at the jazzy Hot Club de Portugal, she puts her first group together, Maria João Quintet, and recorded three albuns: «Quinteto Maria João» (1983), «Cem Caminhos» (1985) and «Conversa» (1986). Success was achieved at the International Jazz Festival of Cascais when for the first time the critics and the audience surrendered to her extraordinary talent.
She began the building of her international profile in 1985, with a tour in Germany. One of the shows was televised by ZDF. In that same year she also performed in Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Holland, Austria and Switzerland. In Spain, she received an award at the International Jazz Festival of San Sebastian.
Since her recording debut, she recorded ten albuns, two of them with the japanese pianist Aki Takase. With Aki, she created one of the most famous and inovator duets of the eighties. Between 1987 and 1990 they played at the most famous jazz festivals all over the world. Two albuns were recorded in those years, «Looking for Love» (1987) and «Alice», where she worked with Takase and Niels Pedersen Trio. This album was recorded live in Germany at the Ostwest Festival of Nuremberg.
In 1991 and 1992 Maria João worked with the portuguese group Cal Viva (with José Peixoto, now one of the guitar players of Madredeus), where she met the pianist Mário Laginha. Together they recorded «Sol» (1991) and performed at Expo 92 in Sevilla, Spain. In the next year, she kept working with Laginha and both recorded the album «Danças» (Dances). She was also invited by the radio orchestra of Hamburg to sing in several concerts.
«Danças» was the first record of Maria João and Mário Laginha released by Verve. Despite the international approach, the portuguese sensibility of the music and the emotional expression of her voice were so strong that the specialized press was unanimous considering «Danças» one of the albuns of the year. The talent of Maria João and Mário Laginha was also recognized at festivals in Montreux, Berlin, Barcelona and Italy.
The second album for Verve, «Fábula», was released in 1996 with many special guests like, Mário Laginha, Ralph Towner, Dino Saluzzi, Kai Eckhardt de Camargo, Manu Katché and Ricardo Rocha (who plays portuguese guitar). «Fábula» tour went on around the world with dates in Europe, Africa and Brazil.
In 1997 Maria João & Mário Laginha travelled to Mozambique and India to collect snew stuff to their next album, «Cor» (Colour) wich was meant to celebrate the Portuguese Discoveries of the 15th and 16th centuries. It was released in may 1998 at Expo98 in Lisbon. In this album she performs once more with Mário Laginha, and also with the indian percussionist Trilok Gurtu and Wolfgang Muthspiel. The exotism of India music blends perfectly with the portuguese traditional roots, all mixed in a brilliant way.
1999 sees the release of «Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes», recorded by Maria João and Mário Laginha with the NDR Radio Orchestra of Hannover, conducted by Arild Remmerkeit with Reinhard and Wolf Karwatky in the role of producers. Once more, the power of her voice, and the sensitivy of Laginha’s piano makes this album a precious document.
«Chorinho Feliz» marks another era in Maria Joâo & Mário Laginha work. The album was recorded during this year in Brazil and, as usual, there are many special guests. The african side of Brazil is now very expicit and explored in a trip that drives us through Europe, Africa and South America. The singing of Gilberto Gil, the popular artist from Salvador da Bahia, marries perfectly with the voice of Maria João. And there’s much more, like the bassist virtuoso Nico Assumpção, the great Armando Marçal, known for is liason with Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro and acordeon player Toninho Ferragutti and pop/rock singer Lenine and…. What a wonderful world!