Born: June 28 Primary Instrument: Vocal
Maria Mendes is one the current rising stars on the jazz scene.
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)“Wonderful singer (...) Beautiful talent she posesses” Sheila Jordan
”Promissing debut from a Portuguese singer that makes the world her own stage” in Público magazine, Portugal
“Impossible to resist! A voice that comes and stays forever” José Duarte
