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Maria Viana

Maria Viana was born 17 March 1958, Lisbon, Portugal. She is the daughter of famous actor and painter, José Viana; and his first wife Jujú Baptista, a Brazilian singer and actress. 1979 was the anmus mirabilis for the young lady, as Jazz critic and missionary, José Carlos Monteiro Costa (who is no longer with us, but still occupies a very important place in Maria’s affections), wrote in Diário de Not�-cias:

‘One summer night was in the Lisbon Sheraton at the opening of a painting exhibition of a friend of mine. Descending afterwards to the bar for a beer I heard someone singing, It Had To Be You, with a voice that gripped me from just the first few bars. The beautiful tone was one of the best I’d ever heard. There was moreover a great feeling for tempo , balance , emotion. I asked who it was and was told that she was a Portuguese called Maria who loved to sing. Happily I was able to talk to her and later provided with standard material from Ella, Billie, Sarah, and Anita O’Day. The only thing I could do after that was to introduce her to the producers of Cascais Jazz Festival, Luis Villas-Boas and Duarte Mendonça who took an immediate interest in her, arranging for rehearsals and jam sessions.’

However, it would not be until 1983 that she could vigorsly pursue her professional ambitions in Jazz, because previously she had been an actress and a famous popsinger. She became the host-singer at semi-private jam sessions at Jazz bar, Drogaria Ideal, where with a rhythm section led by pianist Emilio Robalo, she presented dozens of soloists, amateur and professional alike; united, one and all, by their love of Jazz. Within months Maria Viana’s career progressed along lines which revealed unquestionable talent and abilities.

Career Highlights

September 1983 Recorded her first TV programs, Clube de Jazz.

July 1984 Participated in, Soloists Cascais Jazz (XIV Cascais Festival ), together with Mario Laginha , David Gausden , Carlos Vieira , Fredo Mergner, Maria Joaõ, Artur Xavier and Tomáz Pimentel . Hosts T.V.show, Jazz to All, on national television.

1985 Participated in the first Lisbon Internacional Jazz Festival accompanied by Mário Laginha, Nana Sousa Dias, Pedro and Mário Barreiros .

1986-1987 Jazz on a Summers Day Festival, Estoril, Portugal. Recording of part of the CD, Just Friends / Entre Amigos, with Moreiras`s Jazztett.

1988 National attraction at Casino Estoril accompanied by the resident orchestra, and she records the other half of Just Friends / Entre Amigos, with English pianist John Horler`s trio.

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