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Maria Farinha

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


Tags

“....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

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

UWATTIVI

Self Produced
2011

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