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Maria Mendes
After successful performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Festival de Música de Inverno do Rio de Janeiro and Dutch Jazz Dag, Portuguese Jazz vocalist Maria Mendes will perform a series of concerts for the presentation of her debut album “Along the Road”. This is an international concert tour that started September 2012 with two sold out concerts in Portugal followed by a third sold out concert at the North Sea Jazz Club in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. This international tour will see Maria performing throughout South America, Europe, Asia and the USA in 2013.
In 2012 Maria signed a worldwide recording contract with the New York based jazz label, Dot Time Records. With the release of her debut album “Along the Road” Maria has drawn the attention of both the jazz media and public.
Maria Mendes is an undeniable talented jazz singer with incredible inventive and unique vocal abilities. Maria is known for her crystal clear voice, creative and exciting phrasing and vocal virtuosity. All these qualities make her singing tanding out elegance, charm and vivid charisma. Her culturally rich background has influenced her style with elements of the Bossa Nova’s gentle groove, the melancholy of the Portuguese Fado and the American jazz swing of the early 50s. Carrying these natural abilities with her on stage, Maria’s performances have provided her with international acclaim, significant awards and rave reviews while at the same time building her a loyal international following.
During the Montreux Jazz Festival in 2010 Quincy Jones stated “I see a promising and shining future for this young talented singer”. With the release of “Along the road” we can see that Mr Jones prediction was right.
Awards
- Winner of the “Nederlands Jazz Vocalisten Concours”, HOLLAND (2009) - Runner-up of the “Montreux Jazz Voice Competition” SWITZERLAND (2010) – president of the jury was jazz legend Quincy Jones - 1st prize for Improvisation and 2nd prize overall at the “Jazz Voices International competition”, LITHUANIA (2010) - Runner-up of the “Brussels Young Jazz Singers Competition”, BELGIUM (2008)
Gear
Neumann KSM 105 Shure KSM 9 Wireless
Tags
Maria Mendes: Saudade, Colours of Love
by Richard J Salvucci
Every language has words that defy translation. Take saudade" in Portuguese or Galician. Or fado." Go to a standard dictionary, and saudade" appears as nostalgia" or longing." In reality, a native speaker will tell you saudade" means a kind of indefinable melancholy for people, places or things that may only exist in the imagination, and fantasy" will not even come close. Fado" is an art form, defined as a mournful or fatalistic Portuguese folk song. Perhaps flamenco" is familiar, but ...
read moreMaria Mendes: Close To Me
by Dan Bilawsky
A great affection for fado music and its poetic lyrics, an appreciation for how a jazz palette can color the form, and a love of orchestral seasonings all influence this expansive outing from Maria Mendes. It's an effort that's far from the norm and right where the Portuguese vocalist lives and loves to be. Teaming up with pianist/arranger extraordinaire John Beasley, Mendes delivers originals, fado favorites, and, for good measure, a new number written for her by ...
read moreMaria Mendes: Along the Road
by John Kelman
Virtuosity needn't be on display at every moment; restraint, in fact, is an important yet often overlooked aspect of true virtuosity. Norma Winstone is a clear example; certainly capable of plenty, more often than not the British singer's performances are defined by nuance, subtlety and a direct line to the heart of the music. Maria Mendes is another, with the spirit of Brazil looming large over this young Portuguese-born/Netherlands-resident singer's impressive debut, Along the Road--a nine-song set of standards, material ...
read morePhotos
Music
Hermeto's Fado for Maria
From: Saudade, Colours of LoveBy Maria Mendes
Olha so no meu Olhar
From: Along the RoadBy Maria Mendes