Maria João & Mário Laginha

• country:Portugal
• style(s):Jazz
• label:Universal Music
• type:Band, Composer/Songwriter
• instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
• artist posted by:ONC Produções Culturais Lda

Line up

• Maria João (voice)
• Mário Laginha (piano)

Links

• official website maria joão
• official website mário laginha

Maria Joao & Mario Laginha

Singer Maria Joao and pianist Mario Laginha have been playing together regularly for the past 15 years. During this time they have built a musical project with such involvement and capacity to breakthrough, marking deeply the Portuguese music with quality. Although they have been collaborating in recordings and concerts since before 1993, it was in this year they recorded "Dancas" which set the beginning of a partnership that lasts until today, with a dozen of records and hundreds of concerts in Portugal and worldwide.

Clearly influenced by jazz Joao and Mario's art incorporates influences from other musical universes (Portuguese popular music, Brazilian, African, classical, among many others). The music they play is set by a mixture of formal discipline, creativity, intuition, complicity and technical competence.

The Duo has collaborated with many great names of Portuguese and international jazzistic scene, and it's about to launch a new work, entitled "Chocolate", released in Portugal on last November the 3rd, and internationally release foreseen for the first 2009 trimester.

With this "Chocolate", singer and pianist privilege one of their most strong influences: the Jazz. The new CD features original themes, lyrics by Maria Joao, songs by Mario Laginha, and also standards adjusted to this pair's unique language and musical style. This is an assumed "Jazzy" work, shaping a kind of return to the origins of both musicians.

Both the musicians recorded this "Chocolate"on studio with Julian Arguelles (tenor and soprano saxophones), Bernardo Moreira (double bass) as well as Helge Norbakken and Alexandre Frazao on drums and percussion.

This project can be presented in Duo, with Maria and Mario, or in Quintet together with Julian Arguelles in tenor and soprano saxophones, Bernardo Moreira on double bass, and Alexandre Frazao on drums.