Lisa Ono
Encyclopedia
Lisa Ono is a popular Japanese-Brazilian bossa nova
singer.
, Brazil
in 1962 but moved with her family to Tokyo
at the age of 10. From that time on she spent half of every year in Japan
, and half in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
.
Although she lived in Brazil for only a short time, she was turned into a type of "MPB (Brazilian popular music) ambassador" in Japan, influenced by her father, who owned a club while living in Brazil, and was also Baden Powell de Aquino
's agent.
Lisa began singing and playing the guitar at age 15, and her debut as a professional Bossa Nova singer was in 1989. Her natural voice, rhythmic guitar playing, and her charming smile led her to a huge success and popularized Bossa Nova in Japan. She has performed with many top musicians such as Antônio Carlos Jobim
and João Donato
, and has been performing enthusiastically in New York, Brazil and Asian countries. The 1999 album Dream sold more than two hundred thousand copies in Japan, and since then she has established a determined position in the Japanese Bossa Nova community.
where she started performing mainly bossa nova and samba
. Besides singing, Lisa Ono plays the guitar
and is a songwriter
. Her first album, Catupiry, was released in 1989. She has not stopped recording since then, releasing one disc a year, mostly in Portuguese. She soon became famous in Japan after appearing in several TV commercials.
In 1991 her album Nanã won the "Grand Prix Gold Disk Award for Jazz" in Japan. Her third album Menina was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, and won the same Grand Prix award. In 1992, Ono released her second album on the BMG
label called Serenata Carioca, and she also released her first book Felicidade. In 1994 she released Esperança, with guest appearances by Tom Jobim, Sivuca
, Paulo Moura
, Danilo Caymmi
and Mario Adnet. In 1993, she made Minha Saudade, dedicated to works by João Donato
, who also wrote the arrangements. In 1996, Antonio Adolfo co-produced her CD Rio Bossa. In 1998, Ono released the album Bossa Carioca, produced by Paulo
and Daniel Jobim. She also started a label, Nanã, aimed at promoting Brazilian music in Japan.
In 1999, Oscar Casto-Neves co-produced her CD Dream, which sold over 200,000 copies. This album was made in America, and contains classic American songs and film music from the 1940s–50s done with bossa nova arrangements. In July 2000, Ono continued her exploration of songs in English with the release of Pretty World, co-produced by Eumir Deodato.
In the fall of 2000 she released Boas Festas, a "winter bossa" album to celebrate the Christmas season. The album includes original tunes as well as fresh bossa arrangements of classic American Christmas carols. Continuing her exploration of new material, in the summer of 2001, Lisa released Bossa Hula Nova, which as the title name implies, includes some new and classic Hawaiian songs done in a bossa nova style. This album includes arrangements by Mário Adnet, who appears on many of her recordings. In March 2002, Lisa released Lisa Ono Best 1997-2001. This album also includes two wonderful new live songs recorded on Lisa's "winter bossa" tour in December 2001. In July 2002, Lisa released Questa Bossa Mia (This Is My Bossa Nova). This CD features a new musical destination - Italy
! Mário Adnet is once again involved.
In 2003 she released the album Dans Mon Île (French for "In my island"), themed around a voyage to France
and based on famous French
songs. Joining her once again is the Brazilian composer and arranger Mário Adnet. Guest musicians include Pierre Barouh
, Richard Galliano
, and Henri Salvador
, who also performs a duet with Lisa on "J'ai Vu". In the summer of 2004, Lisa released NAIMA-meu anjo, a collection of African and Arabic songs done in a bossa nova style. In November 2004, Lisa released her newest CD Boas Festas 2 - Feliz Natal. On this album Lisa returns to Brazil with a new "winter bossa" collection of Chistmas songs in English and Portuguese recorded with three of Brazil's top guitarists - Toninho Horta
, Oscar Castro-Neves
, and Romero Lubambo
.
Lisa announced the birth of her second child, a boy, on October 7, 2004.
Lisa has performed with Tom Jobim and with João Donato
in Brazil, in addition to other performances around the world. Appearances in Japan include concerts at the Blue Note Tokyo with Paulo and Daniel Jobim, Toninho Horta
, and Emílio Santiago.
In addition to making guest appearances on other recordings, Lisa has also created music for television commercials in Japan.
As of November 2007, she has released 22 albums.
In 2009, from January to April, Ono held her Asian tour from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, to Bangko. On March 4 of 2009, her two new albums, Cheek To Cheek – Jazz Standards from RIO – and Look To The Rainbow – Jazz Standards from L.A. – were released at the same time. The theme of both albums is jazz music, and features arrangers from Brazil and Los Angeles. In May 2009, Lisa started Lisa Ono Concert Tour 2009 – Jazz Standards -, a tour to celebrate her two new albums.
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
singer.
Biography
Lisa Ono was born in São PauloSão Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 1962 but moved with her family to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
at the age of 10. From that time on she spent half of every year in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and half in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Although she lived in Brazil for only a short time, she was turned into a type of "MPB (Brazilian popular music) ambassador" in Japan, influenced by her father, who owned a club while living in Brazil, and was also Baden Powell de Aquino
Baden Powell de Aquino
Baden Powell de Aquino usually known simply as Baden Powell, was one of the greatest Brazilian guitarists. He explored the instrument to its utmost limits, playing it in a distinctive, unique manner, incorporating virtuoso classical techniques together with popular harmony and swing...
's agent.
Lisa began singing and playing the guitar at age 15, and her debut as a professional Bossa Nova singer was in 1989. Her natural voice, rhythmic guitar playing, and her charming smile led her to a huge success and popularized Bossa Nova in Japan. She has performed with many top musicians such as Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Jobim
Antônio Carlos Brasileiro de Almeida Jobim , also known as Tom Jobim , was a Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, and pianist/guitarist. He was a primary force behind the creation of the bossa nova style, and his songs have been performed by many singers and instrumentalists within...
and João Donato
João Donato
João Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil, probably best known for his numerous albums as bandleader in the idiom...
, and has been performing enthusiastically in New York, Brazil and Asian countries. The 1999 album Dream sold more than two hundred thousand copies in Japan, and since then she has established a determined position in the Japanese Bossa Nova community.
Career
After moving to Japan, Lisa's father opened a new venue called Saci-Pererê, a Brazilian restaurantRestaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
where she started performing mainly bossa nova and samba
Samba
Samba is a Brazilian dance and musical genre originating in Bahia and with its roots in Brazil and Africa via the West African slave trade and African religious traditions. It is recognized around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival...
. Besides singing, Lisa Ono plays the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and is a songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
. Her first album, Catupiry, was released in 1989. She has not stopped recording since then, releasing one disc a year, mostly in Portuguese. She soon became famous in Japan after appearing in several TV commercials.
In 1991 her album Nanã won the "Grand Prix Gold Disk Award for Jazz" in Japan. Her third album Menina was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, and won the same Grand Prix award. In 1992, Ono released her second album on the BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
label called Serenata Carioca, and she also released her first book Felicidade. In 1994 she released Esperança, with guest appearances by Tom Jobim, Sivuca
Sivuca
Severino Dias de Oliveirawas a Brazilian accordionist and guitarist.In addition to in his home state of Paraíba, in Recife, and in Rio de Janeiro,...
, Paulo Moura
Paulo Moura
Paulo Moura was a Brazilian clarinetist and saxophonist....
, Danilo Caymmi
Danilo Caymmi
Danilo Candido Tostes Caymmi ia a Brazilian musician, singer, composer and arranger.Danilo is the youngest son of Dorival Caymmi and Stella Maris, and brother of Dori and Nana Caymmi. Brought up by two musical parents and older siblings, he showed an early interest in music and began playing the...
and Mario Adnet. In 1993, she made Minha Saudade, dedicated to works by João Donato
João Donato
João Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil, probably best known for his numerous albums as bandleader in the idiom...
, who also wrote the arrangements. In 1996, Antonio Adolfo co-produced her CD Rio Bossa. In 1998, Ono released the album Bossa Carioca, produced by Paulo
Paulo
Paulo is Portuguese masculine given name equivalent to English Paul. It may refer to:People:*Paolo Maria Abbiati, Italian engraver*Paulo Almeida, Brazilian footballer*Paulo André Cren Benini, , Brazilian football defender...
and Daniel Jobim. She also started a label, Nanã, aimed at promoting Brazilian music in Japan.
In 1999, Oscar Casto-Neves co-produced her CD Dream, which sold over 200,000 copies. This album was made in America, and contains classic American songs and film music from the 1940s–50s done with bossa nova arrangements. In July 2000, Ono continued her exploration of songs in English with the release of Pretty World, co-produced by Eumir Deodato.
In the fall of 2000 she released Boas Festas, a "winter bossa" album to celebrate the Christmas season. The album includes original tunes as well as fresh bossa arrangements of classic American Christmas carols. Continuing her exploration of new material, in the summer of 2001, Lisa released Bossa Hula Nova, which as the title name implies, includes some new and classic Hawaiian songs done in a bossa nova style. This album includes arrangements by Mário Adnet, who appears on many of her recordings. In March 2002, Lisa released Lisa Ono Best 1997-2001. This album also includes two wonderful new live songs recorded on Lisa's "winter bossa" tour in December 2001. In July 2002, Lisa released Questa Bossa Mia (This Is My Bossa Nova). This CD features a new musical destination - Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
! Mário Adnet is once again involved.
In 2003 she released the album Dans Mon Île (French for "In my island"), themed around a voyage to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and based on famous French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
songs. Joining her once again is the Brazilian composer and arranger Mário Adnet. Guest musicians include Pierre Barouh
Pierre Barouh
Pierre Barouh is a French writer-composer-singer best known for his work on Claude Lelouch's film A Man and a Woman both as actor, and as lyric writer/singer for Francis Lai's music for the film....
, Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano
Richard Galliano is a French accordionist.-Biography:He was drawn to music at an early age, starting with the accordion at 4, influenced by his father Lucien, an accordionist originally from Italy, living in Nice.After a long and intense period of study Richard Galliano (born December 12, 1950,...
, and Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador
Henri Salvador was a French Caribbean singer.-Biography:Salvador was born in Cayenne, French Guiana. His father, Clovis, and his mother, Antonine Paterne, daughter of a native Indian from the Caribbean, were both from Guadeloupe, French West Indies...
, who also performs a duet with Lisa on "J'ai Vu". In the summer of 2004, Lisa released NAIMA-meu anjo, a collection of African and Arabic songs done in a bossa nova style. In November 2004, Lisa released her newest CD Boas Festas 2 - Feliz Natal. On this album Lisa returns to Brazil with a new "winter bossa" collection of Chistmas songs in English and Portuguese recorded with three of Brazil's top guitarists - Toninho Horta
Toninho Horta
Toninho Horta is a virtuoso electric and nylon-string guitar player; his music could be defined as Brazilian music.He has developed his own very personal style...
, Oscar Castro-Neves
Oscar Castro-Neves
Oscar Castro-Neves is a Brazilian guitarist, arranger, and composer who is considered a founding figure in Bossa nova. He was born as one of triplets and formed a band with his brothers in his youth. At 16 he had a national hit with Chora Tua Tristeza. Many of the early Bossa Nova musicians began...
, and Romero Lubambo
Romero Lubambo
Romero Lubambo is a Brazilian jazz guitar player.Romero Lubambo started learning classic piano at a very early age...
.
Lisa announced the birth of her second child, a boy, on October 7, 2004.
Lisa has performed with Tom Jobim and with João Donato
João Donato
João Donato de Oliveira Neto is a Brazilian jazz and bossa nova pianist from Brazil, probably best known for his numerous albums as bandleader in the idiom...
in Brazil, in addition to other performances around the world. Appearances in Japan include concerts at the Blue Note Tokyo with Paulo and Daniel Jobim, Toninho Horta
Toninho Horta
Toninho Horta is a virtuoso electric and nylon-string guitar player; his music could be defined as Brazilian music.He has developed his own very personal style...
, and Emílio Santiago.
In addition to making guest appearances on other recordings, Lisa has also created music for television commercials in Japan.
As of November 2007, she has released 22 albums.
In 2009, from January to April, Ono held her Asian tour from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, to Bangko. On March 4 of 2009, her two new albums, Cheek To Cheek – Jazz Standards from RIO – and Look To The Rainbow – Jazz Standards from L.A. – were released at the same time. The theme of both albums is jazz music, and features arrangers from Brazil and Los Angeles. In May 2009, Lisa started Lisa Ono Concert Tour 2009 – Jazz Standards -, a tour to celebrate her two new albums.
Discography
- 1989.10.21 - CATUPIRY（MIDI）
- 1990.04.21 - NaNã
- 1991.07.21 - menina （BMG）
- 1992.06.21 - SERENATA CARIOCA
- 1993.01.21 - Namorada
- 1994.06.22 - Esperanca
- 1995.04.21 - Minha Saudade
- 1996.11.21 - RIO BOSSA
- 1997.11.19 - ESSENCIA
- 1998.07.16 - BOSSA CARIOCA
- 1999.06.23 - DREAM
- 2000.07.05 - Pretty World
- 2000.11.16 - Boas Festas
- 2001.07.11 - Bossa Hula Nova
- 2002.07.10 - Questa Bossa Mia...
- 2003.07.16 - DANS MON ILE
- 2004.06.23 - NAIMA～meu anjo～
- 2004.11.17 - Boas Festas2～Feliz Natal～
- 2005.06.29 - Romance Latino vol.1
- 2005.07.27 - Romance Latino vol.2
- 2005.08.24 - Romance Latino vol.3
- 2006.07.12 - Jambalaya -Bossa Americana-
- 2007.07.11 - Soul & Bossa
- 2007.11.21 - Music Of Antonio Carlos Jobim: Ipanema
- 2009.03.04 - Cheek To Cheek -Jazz Standards from RIO
- 2009.03.04 - Look To The Rainbow - Jazz Standards from L.A
- 2010.03.05 - ASIA
- 2011.10.26 - Japão
Best Collections
- 1991.11.21 - O Melhor De Lisa（MIDI）
- 1997.06.28 - AMIGOS
- 1998.06.24 - Selecao （BMG）
- 2000.02.23 - Colecao～the collection
- 2002.03.06 - Ono Lisa Best 1997-2001 （EMI）
- 2005.12.07 - Romance Latino Selection
- 2008.05.21 - Ono Lisa Best 2002-2006 （EMI）
- 2008.05.21 - Ono Lisa Best 1989-1996 （MIDI,BMG）
External links
- Lisa Ono Official Website
- HMV.co.jp Top 100 pops Artists
- avex Official Website (Japanese)
- Discover Lisa Ono
See also
- Bossa novaBossa novaBossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...