Tania Maria
Encyclopedia
Tania Maria is a Brazil
ian artist, singer, composer, bandleader and piano player, singing mostly in Portuguese
or English
. Her Brazilian-style music is mostly vocal, sometimes pop, often jazz
y, and includes samba
, bossa, Afro-Latin, Pop and Jazz fusion
.
, northern Brazil
, she has a degree in law, and married early and had children. Tania Maria began playing the piano at the age of 7, became a leader at the age of 13, when her band of professional musicians, organized by her father, won first prize in a local music contest and went on to play for dances, in clubs and on the radio. Her father, a metal worker and a gifted guitarist and singer, had encouraged her to study piano so that she could play in his weekend jam sessions, where she first absorbed the rhythms and melodies of samba, jazz, pop music and Brazilian chorinho
. Since then, she has never worked in anyone else's group. Maria's first album Apresentamos was released in Brazil in 1969, followed by Olha Quem Chega in 1971, but it was a move to France in the late 1970s that exploded Tania onto the international scene. At a concert in Australia, her formidable musical precision and freewheeling spirit caught the attention of the late American guitarist, Charlie Byrd
, who recommended her to the late Carl Jefferson, founder of Concord Records
.
Tania has played virtually every important jazz festival in the world and has appeared on countless television and radio programmes. Tania has recorded more than 20 albums and in 1985 was nominated for a Grammy Award
in the category "Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
". Tania performed at prestigious venues like The Blue Note and famous festivals like the Monterey Jazz Festival
in '81, '83 and '89, Saratoga Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Fest 1991, Montreux Jazz Festival
, New Orleans Heritage Festival, Puerto Rico Heineken Jazzfest 2001, Malta Jazz Festival 2003 at Maltese Islands, Novosadski Jazz Festival
2004, Belgium's Jazz Middelheim
2007, and has played with such greats as Steve Gadd
, Anthony Jackson, Sammy Figueroa
and Eddie Gomez
.
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...
ian artist, singer, composer, bandleader and piano player, singing mostly in Portuguese
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
or English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Her Brazilian-style music is mostly vocal, sometimes pop, often jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
y, and includes 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...
, bossa, Afro-Latin, Pop and Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
.
Biography
Born in São Luís, MaranhãoSão Luís, Maranhão
São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...
, northern 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...
, she has a degree in law, and married early and had children. Tania Maria began playing the piano at the age of 7, became a leader at the age of 13, when her band of professional musicians, organized by her father, won first prize in a local music contest and went on to play for dances, in clubs and on the radio. Her father, a metal worker and a gifted guitarist and singer, had encouraged her to study piano so that she could play in his weekend jam sessions, where she first absorbed the rhythms and melodies of samba, jazz, pop music and Brazilian chorinho
Music of Brazil
The music of Brazil encompasses various regional music styles influenced by African, European and Amerindian forms. After 500 years of history, Brazilian music developed some unique and original styles such as samba, zouk-lambada, lambada, choro, bossa nova, frevo, maracatu, MPB, sertanejo,...
. Since then, she has never worked in anyone else's group. Maria's first album Apresentamos was released in Brazil in 1969, followed by Olha Quem Chega in 1971, but it was a move to France in the late 1970s that exploded Tania onto the international scene. At a concert in Australia, her formidable musical precision and freewheeling spirit caught the attention of the late American guitarist, Charlie Byrd
Charlie Byrd
Charlie Lee Byrd was a famous and versatile American guitarist born in Suffolk, Virginia. His earliest and strongest musical influence was Django Reinhardt, the famous gypsy guitarist. Byrd became the American guitarist who best understood and played Brazilian music, especially the Bossa Nova genre...
, who recommended her to the late Carl Jefferson, founder of Concord Records
Concord Records
Concord Records is a U.S. record label now based in Beverly Hills, California. Originally known as Concord Jazz, it was established in 1972 as an off-shoot of the Concord Jazz Festival in Concord, California by festival founder Carl Jefferson, a local automobile dealer and jazz fan who sold his...
.
Tania has played virtually every important jazz festival in the world and has appeared on countless television and radio programmes. Tania has recorded more than 20 albums and in 1985 was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
in the category "Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female
The Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to female recording artists for quality jazz vocal performances...
". Tania performed at prestigious venues like The Blue Note and famous festivals like the Monterey Jazz Festival
Monterey Jazz Festival
The Monterey Jazz Festival is one of the longest consecutively running jazz festivals. It debuted on October 3, 1958 and was founded by San Francisco jazz radio broadcaster Jimmy Lyons.-History:...
in '81, '83 and '89, Saratoga Jazz Festival, JVC Jazz Fest 1991, Montreux Jazz Festival
Montreux Jazz Festival
The Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva...
, New Orleans Heritage Festival, Puerto Rico Heineken Jazzfest 2001, Malta Jazz Festival 2003 at Maltese Islands, Novosadski Jazz Festival
Novi Sad Jazz Festival
Novi Sad Jazz Festival is an annual jazz festival in Novi Sad, Serbia. It is organized by the Novi Sad Cultural Centre. The festival was first held in 1999 in the Novi Sad Cultural Centre...
2004, Belgium's Jazz Middelheim
Jazz Middelheim
Jazz Middelheim is an annual summer jazz festival in Antwerp, Belgium. The 2010 edition presented amongst othersToots Thielemans, Wayne Shorter Quartet, McCoy Tyner Trio with Joe Lovano, Cassandra Wilson, Archie Shepp, Ahmad Jamal, World Saxophone Quartet + M'BOOM, Chucho Valdés & The Afro Cuban...
2007, and has played with such greats as Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd
Steve Gadd is an American session and studio drummer, notable for his work with popular musicians from a wide range of genres.-Biography:...
, Anthony Jackson, Sammy Figueroa
Sammy Figueroa
Sammy Figueroa is an American percussionist born in The Bronx, New York. At 18 he joined the band of bassist Bobby Valentín and also co-led the Brazilian/Latin fusion group Raices....
and Eddie Gomez
Eddie Gomez
Edgar "Eddie" Gómez is a Puerto Rican jazz double bassist born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, perhaps most notable for his work done with the Bill Evans trio from 1966 to 1977.-Biography:...
.
Albums
| Year | Title | Genre | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Via Brasil, Vol. 2 (reissue) | Brazilian jazz | Sunny Side | |
| 2006 | Via Brasil | Brazilian jazz | Sunny Side | |
| 2005 | Brazil with My Soul | Brazilian jazz | Universal | |
| 2005 | Intimidade | Brazilian jazz | Blue Note | |
| 2005 | Tania Maria in Copenhagen (with Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen - Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 * Kirk in Copenhagen 1963 * Ben Webster in Denmark 1965-1971 Live at Danish Radio studios, Jazzhus Montmartre and Odd Fellow Palæet - Universal Music Denmark*One Flight Up 1964 *Sunday Walk 1969 - Discography :* My Name Is Albert Ayler 1963 (with... ) |
Brazilian jazz | Stunt | |
| 2004 | Olha Quem Chega (reissue) | Brazilian jazz | Import | |
| 2003 | Outrageously Wild | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 2002 | Tania Maria Live at the Blue Note | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 2002 | Happiness | Brazilian jazz | Recall Records UK | |
| 2000 | Viva Brazil | Brazilian jazz | Concord Records | |
| 1997 | Europe | Brazilian jazz | TKM | |
| 1996 | No Comment | Brazilian jazz | TKM | |
| 1993 | The Best of Tania Maria | Brazilian jazz | Blue Note | |
| 1993 | Outrageous | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1988 | Forbidden Colors | Brazilian jazz | Capitol | |
| 1991 | Lady from Brazil | Brazilian jazz | EMI | |
| 1990 | Bela Vista | Brazilian jazz | Blue Note | |
| 1985 | Made in New York | Brazilian jazz | EMI | |
| 1984 | The Real Tania Maria: Wild! | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1983 | Love Explosion | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1982 | Come with Me | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1981 | Taurus | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1980 | Piquant | Brazilian jazz | Concord | |
| 1979 | Live | Brazilian jazz | Accord | |
| 1971 | Olha Quem Chega | Brazilian jazz | ||
| 1969 | Apresentamos | Brazilian jazz | Continental |