MARIA JOÃO

& MÁRIO LAGINHA

 
* One ticket is for a festival evening and includes both concerts.
Maria João and Mário Laginha have worked together for over two decades. Their paths have crossed multiple times in different projects since the early days of the eccentric singer’s career. Among their joint albums are Danças, Fábula, Cor, Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes, Chorinho Feliz, Mumadji, Undercovers, Tralha, Chocolate (which commemorates 25 years of the duo), and Iridescente. In their projects jazz acts as a foundation, but they also exhibit a marked interest to various musical traditions from African, Brazilian and Indian, through pop and rock, to classical music and, of course, traditional Portuguese music. The duet participates in the most important jazz festivals in the world, such as Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival and the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Maria João makes a name for herself with impressive vocal flexibility, which she often uses to blend folk, avant-garde and electronica, turning her concerts into a true vocal spectacle. Throughout her long and fascinating career, Maria João has so far recorded 23 albums.

The singer has no formal musical education and until well in her 20s, her life had been more involved with the sport than music. 1982, when she is 26 years old, marks the true beginning of her singing career. In 1983 Maria João forms a quintet with Mário Laginha. This is their first joint project. She also has had collaborations with Aki Takase, Bobby McFerrin, David Linx, Gilberto Gil, Dino Saluzzi and many others. She has participated in the most prestigious European and world jazz festivals, received numerous awards, and today she stands as an icon of improvisational jazz, as well as being regarded among the best performers in the world. One could say Maria João sings like few could or would dare to.

For the pianist Mário Laginha making music is an act of sharing. His duet with Maria João gives rise to one of the most profound and original projects in contemporary Portuguese music. Mário Laginha graduates the National Conservatory with honours, but this would not chain him into being just a classical pianist. During the 80s he plays in a duo with classical pianist Pedro Burmeister. Through his unique jazz point of view, he creates a repertoire that includes compositions by Maurice Ravel, Samuel Barber and Aaron Copland. Later he forms the Mario Laginha Trio, which is perhaps closest to jazz albeit with an unconventional style. The band records Espaço in 2008 – an album that bridges music and architecture, and in Mongrel (2010), the trio includes Chopin in its musical universe. Mário Laginha composes for multiple diverse musical formations, national and radio orchestras, for theatre and film.

 

WORKSHOP

November 1 | 11h | Bee Bop Café

A day after the concert, Maria João and Mário Laginha will head a workshop dedicated to vocal artistry and piano in jazz. The workshop is free and doesn’t require advance enrolment.