Brief Bio: International Jazz Award Nominee (June 2008-Beverley Hills- California-USA), MARIA FARINHA (singer/composer/educator) is internationally recognized as one of the foremost performers of Brazilian Jazz and Bossa Nova. A native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, she began musical studies as a young child and began playing piano professionally at the age of 16. Her career began to soar in the late 1980s in USA with the rise of her new hybrid style of Brazilian Jazz. She studied piano, voice and composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, the University of South Florida, and is currently pursuing a Philosophical Doctoral degree in ethnomusicology at York University in Toronto where she is also a Jazz Vocal teacher. Farinha is recognized world-wide as one of the definitive Brazilian music composers of her generation and one of "The Best Latin Divas." (Mark Holston for Hispanic Magazine-California). Some recent performances in 2010 and 2011 include the Rochester International Jazz Festival, the Art of Jazz Festival in Toronto, "Global Divas" from the Canadian Broadcasting Centre. In the past Maria has performed with many of Brazil's top artists, including Manfredo Fest, Romero Lubambo and Gilberto Gil. Other artists that she has worked with outside of Brazil include Arturo Sandoval, Danny Gottlieb, and Jane Bunnet. Her own 2002 recording, "Endless Samba" and 2007 “Kiss of Love”, features tributes to Tom Jobim, Edu Lobo, Chico Buarque, as well as her own compositions in the genre of Bossa Nova and Brazilian Jazz. Her debut album "Planeta Banana" in 1997 was well acclaimed by critic Hilarey Gray from "JazzTimes Magazine", and by Scott Yanow editor of "All Music Guide to Jazz".
Awards
International Jazz Award Nominee (June 2008-Beverley Hills-
California-USA)
Ontario Arts Council Popular Music Award - 2011
“....Farinha shifted so smoothly between language and scat
that it was
almost impossible to tell where the Portuguese ended and the
jazz jive
began. The band's bossa nova was beautifully, smolderingly
intense as
it blurred complex rhythms with seemingly simple ones.” -The
City
newspaper (Rochester International Jazz Festival- New
York- 2009)
"...Maria shines equally on fast-phrasing twisting melodies and
romantic ballads. Her embracing voice executes the
technically difficult Brazilian Jazz style with emotion, style,
warm and mysterious, a must have for any Brazilian Jazz
fan..." Hilarie Grey- JazzTimes Magazine (1999-USA)
Primary Instrument
Vocals
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
PhD in Ethnomusicology and Composition
York University, Toronto-Canada
(Candidate-2012)
MA in Music Composition
York University, Toronto- Canada
(2009)
BA in Music
Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida- USA
Graduated with Honors- Cum Laude
(May 2000)
Certificate in Jazz Composition
The Center for Jazz Composition
University of South Florida, Tampa- USA
(2001)
Artistic Diploma in Jazz Performance (Voice and Piano)
Berklee College of Music, Boston, Ma- USA
(1988- 1990)
CANADA- Toronto GTA
Hours and price negotiable