Jorge Manuel de Abreu Palma (born 4 June 1950) is a Portuguese singer and songwriter.
A well-known and acclaimed songwriter in Portugal, Palma has achieved success with songs such as "Deixa-me Rir", "Frágil" and "Encosta-te a Mim".
Early life
Jorge Palma was born in Lisbon on 4 June 1950. At the age of 6, Palma learned to play the piano and to read. When he was 8 years old, he performed his first piano audition in the Portuguese National Conservatory.
In 1963, aged 13, Palma finished second in a musical contest in Majorca, Spain. At the same time, he continued his studies, first at the
Camões Secondary School
The Secondary School Luís de Camões ( pt, Escola Secundária Luís de Camões) is a secondary school located in the civil parish of Arroios, in the municipality and Portuguese capital of Lisbon, classified as a ''Monumento de Interesse Público' ...
and after at the Colégio Infante de Sagres in Abrantes. The following year, 1964, marks a turning point in Palma's musical preferences, in which he start leaving his classical influences and dedicates himself to pop-rock music.
Musical career
1967–1972: Career beginnings and Sindicato
During the Summer of 1967, in Algarve, Palma joined the band Black Boys as a keyboard player. In the following Summer, in 1968, he joins the band Jets also as keyboard player. He also played with the bands Extravaganza and Beatnicks.
In 1969, Palma joined the rock band Sindicato, while studying Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Sciences at the
University of Lisbon
The University of Lisbon (ULisboa; pt, Universidade de Lisboa, ) is a public research university in Lisbon, and the largest university in Portugal. It was founded in 2013, from the merger of two previous public universities located in Lisbon, th ...
. With Sindicato, he played in the first edition of the
Vilar de Mouros Festival
The Vilar de Mouros Festival, currently named EDP Vilar de Mouros for sponsorship reasons, is a music festival that takes place in Vilar de Mouros, Caminha, Viana do Castelo district in northwestern Portugal.
It is the oldest rock festival in Po ...
, in 1971. Sindicato released one single and a covers album, before disbanding in 1972. In that same year, Palma also dropped out of his university studies.
1972–1984: Start of solo career and travels
![Jorgepalma1982](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Jorgepalma1982.jpg)
Jorge Palma's solo career started in 1972 with the release of the single "The Nine Billion Names of God", based on the
short story of the same name by
Arthur C. Clarke, with lyrics in English. After that, he spent some time improving his lyrical writing skills in Portuguese with the famous poet and song lyricist
José Carlos Ary dos Santos
José Carlos Ary dos Santos, GCIH or just Ary dos Santos (Lisboa, December 7, 1936 – Lisboa, January 18, 1984) was one of the most relevant names of the Portuguese popular poetry of the 20th century.
Born of a bourgeois family, Ary dos Sant ...
, and in 1973 he launched his first single in Portuguese, "A Útlima Canção".
To avoid
conscription
Conscription (also called the draft in the United States) is the state-mandated enlistment of people in a national service, mainly a military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it continues in some countries to the present day un ...
and the
Portuguese Colonial War
The Portuguese Colonial War ( pt, Guerra Colonial Portuguesa), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War () or in the former colonies as the War of Liberation (), and also known as the Angolan, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambican War of Independence, ...
in Portugal's
overseas territories
A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal.
In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...
in Africa, Palma departed to
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark
...
with his wife Gisela Branco, where he lived between September 1973 and June 1974 as a political exile. Following the
Carnation Revolution
The Carnation Revolution ( pt, Revolução dos Cravos), also known as the 25 April ( pt, 25 de Abril, links=no), was a military coup by left-leaning military officers that overthrew the authoritarian Estado Novo regime on 25 April 1974 in Lisbo ...
on 25 April 1974 in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, Palma returned to Portugal.
[ Jorge Palma. In Infopédia. Porto: ]Porto Editora
Porto Editora is the largest Portuguese publisher with a consolidated turnover of more than 90M € in 2010. It is
the leading educational publisher in PortugalHerbert R. Lottman, "Publishing in Portugal", ''Publishers Weekly'', Volume 213, Issue ...
, 2003–2009. URL: http://www.infopedia.pt/$jorge-palma.
In February 1975, Palma participated in the 12th edition of the
Festival da Canção
Festival da Canção (; "Song Festival") or Festival RTP da Canção is the name given to the national festival, produced and broadcast by Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) to choose the for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was first held in ...
with two songs: "O Pecado Capital" (with Fernando Girão) and "Viagem". The songs finished in 7th and 8th places.
Palma's first studio album, ''Com Uma Viagem na Palma da Mão,'' was recorded and released in 1975.
In 1977, he released his second album, ''
'Té Já''. This was followed by travels in Spain and Brazil, in which Palma
played in the streets of several cities.
He spent time afterwards in Paris, where he performed in several bars, cafés and the
Paris Métro
The Paris Métro (french: Métro de Paris ; short for Métropolitain ) is a rapid transit system in the Paris metropolitan area, France. A symbol of the Paris, city, it is known for its density within the capital's territorial limits, uniform ar ...
, playing songs from well-known artists such as
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
,
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
,
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
, and others.
Back to Portugal in 1979, Palma recorded and released his third album, ''Qualquer Coisa Pá Música''. He would then spend two more years in France.
Palma returned to Portugal in 1982 and released his fourth album, ''Acto Contínuo.''
In 1984, Palma recorded his fifth album, ''Asas e Penas'', his first since becoming a father the year before.
1985–1991: Commercial success
In 1985, Palma released one of the most acclaimed albums of his career, ''O Lado Errado da Noite.'' The album included the single "Deixa-me Rir", which became a success in Portugal. Music critics called it "the right side of Jorge Palma" (a play on the album name, which translates to "The wrong side of the night") and it won several prizes from the Portuguese press.
The success of the album prompted a major tour in Portugal, including
Madeira
)
, anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira")
, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
and
Azores
)
, motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace")
, anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores")
, image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg
, map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union
, map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...
.
In 1986, Palma finished a 3-year General Course in Piano at the Conservatório Nacional de Lisboa, and enrolled in the Advanced Studies in Piano course in the same institution. He released his seventh album, ''Quarto Minguante'', also that year''.''
Three years after, in 1989, Palma released his eighth album, ''Bairro do Amor.'' The album was critically acclaimed and includes some of his most well-known songs, such as "Frágil" and the title-song "Bairro do Amor".
Palma finished his piano studies in 1990. After his final exam, he was proposed by To Zé Brito, who worked for
Polygram
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
at the time, to record an album of rearrangements of his songs with only piano and voice. Palma liked the idea and recorded some of most iconic songs played with a
Steinway
Steinway & Sons, also known as Steinway (), is a German-American piano company, founded in 1853 in Manhattan by German piano builder Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg (later known as Henry E. Steinway). The company's growth led to the opening of a ...
piano at the Valentim de Carvalho studios. The album was named ''Só'' and released in 1991''.'' It was critically acclaimed and, in 2014, was considered one of the best Portuguese albums of all-time by music magazine
Blitz
Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to:
Military uses
*Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign
*The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War
*, an Imperial German Navy light cruiser b ...
.
1992–2001: Palma's Gang and Rio Grande
After ''Só'', Palma decided to go back to guitar-oriented rock and formed the band Palma's Gang, with members of the bands
Xutos & Pontapés
Xutos & Pontapés () are a Portuguese rock band. The band was founded in 1978, in Lisbon, by the late Zé Pedro, Zé Leonel, Kalú and Tim. Their current lineup consists of Tim (vocals, bass), João Cabeleira (guitar), Gui (saxophone, keyboards) a ...
and Rádio Macau. The band released a live album in 1993, titled ''Palma's Gang: Ao Vivo no Johnny Guitar,'' which also explored Palma's repertoire but this time with a hard-rock sound. During the following year, Palma performed in several stages across Portugal, solo or with Palma's Gang.
In 1996, Palma accepted an invitation to join a new project, named Rio Grande, a band that included other famous Portuguese musicians, Tim (
Xutos & Pontapés
Xutos & Pontapés () are a Portuguese rock band. The band was founded in 1978, in Lisbon, by the late Zé Pedro, Zé Leonel, Kalú and Tim. Their current lineup consists of Tim (vocals, bass), João Cabeleira (guitar), Gui (saxophone, keyboards) a ...
), João Gil (
Ala dos Namorados),
Rui Veloso
Rui Manuel Gaudêncio Veloso ComIH (born 30 July 1957) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter and musician.
Commonly called "The father of Portuguese rock" (Portuguese: ''O pai do rock português''), Veloso was a major figure in the boom of Portugues ...
and
Vitorino
Vitorino Salomé Vieira (born 11 July 1942), commonly known simply as Vitorino, is a Portuguese singer-songwriter. His music combines the Cante Alentejano, traditional music of his native region of Alentejo and urban popular song.
Discography
...
. The first album of the band, released that same year, was inspired by Portuguese traditional music and became a major success. In 1997, Rio Grande released a live album recorded at the
Coliseu dos Recreios
The Coliseu dos Recreios (also known as Coliseu de Lisboa) is a multi-purpose auditorium located in Lisbon, Portugal.
History
The main building was constructed within a metal lattice by Francisco Goulard between 1888 and 1890. While the facade ...
in Lisbon, which included an unreleased song by Palma, "Quem És Tu De Novo".
In 1998, Palma took part in several concerts at the
Expo '98
Expo '98 (1998 Lisbon World Exposition) was an official specialised World's Fair held in Lisbon, Portugal from Friday, 22 May to Wednesday, 30 September 1998. The theme of the fair was "The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future", chosen in part to c ...
World Fair in Lisbon. He was also musical director of the play ''Aos Que Nasceram Depois de Nós.''
Besides Palma's Gang and Rio Grande, during the 1990s Palma's musical activity also included collaborations with numerous Portuguese artists such as Censurados, Né Ladeiras,
Xutos & Pontapés
Xutos & Pontapés () are a Portuguese rock band. The band was founded in 1978, in Lisbon, by the late Zé Pedro, Zé Leonel, Kalú and Tim. Their current lineup consists of Tim (vocals, bass), João Cabeleira (guitar), Gui (saxophone, keyboards) a ...
,
Paulo Gonzo and Mafalda Veiga.
2001–present: Later years
After 10 years, Palma returned to solo releases with the album ''Jorge Palma'', in 2001. The album was awarded the José Afonso Prize for best Portuguese album of 2001.
In 2002, Palma released his first solo live album, ''No Tempo dos Assassinos''. His son Vicente participates in some of the performances.
That year, he also joined the musical project Cabeças no Ar, which was basically a reunion of Rio Grande without
Vitorino
Vitorino Salomé Vieira (born 11 July 1942), commonly known simply as Vitorino, is a Portuguese singer-songwriter. His music combines the Cante Alentejano, traditional music of his native region of Alentejo and urban popular song.
Discography
...
. They released one self-titled album.
In 2004, Palma released a new studio album, titled ''Norte''.
In 2007, the album ''
Voo Nocturno'' was released, supported by the single "Encosta-te a Mim", which became a major success in Portugal. The following year, the live album ''Voo Nocturno ao vivo'', recorded during the tour to promote the album, is released.
Palma's last studio album to date, ''Com Todo o Respeito'', was released in 2011.
During 2015 and 2016, Palma played shows together with
Sérgio Godinho
Sérgio de Barros Godinho OL (; born 31 August 1945) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter, composer, actor, poet and author.
Considered one of the most influential popular musicians in Portugal, Godinho started his music career singing folk songs o ...
. The show at the
Theatro Circo in
Braga
Braga ( , ; cel-x-proto, Bracara) is a city and a municipality, capital of the northwestern Portuguese district of Braga and of the historical and cultural Minho Province. Braga Municipality has a resident population of 193,333 inhabitants (in ...
was released in the live album ''Juntos - Ao Vivo no Theatro Circo,'' in 2015''.''
Personal life
Jorge Palma has two children, Vicente (born 1983) and Francisco (born 1996). In November 2008, Palma married Rita Tomé, his current wife, in Las Vegas.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Com Uma Viagem Na Palma da Mão'' (1975)
* Té Já'' (1977)
* ''Qualquer Coisa Pá Música'' (1979)
* ''Acto Contínuo'' (1982)
* ''Asas e Penas'' (1984)
* ''O Lado Errado da Noite'' (1985)
* ''Quarto Minguante'' (1986)
* ''Bairro do Amor'' (1989)
* ''Só'' (1991)
* ''Jorge Palma'' (2001)
* ''Norte'' (2004)
* ''
Voo Nocturno'' (2007)
* ''Com Todo o Respeito'' (2011)
Live albums
* ''Palma's Gang: Ao Vivo no Johnny Guitar'' (with Palma's Gang) (1993)
* ''No Tempo dos Assassinos'' (2002)
* ''Voo Nocturno Ao Vivo'' (2008)
* ''Juntos – Ao vivo no Theatro Circo'' (with
Sérgio Godinho
Sérgio de Barros Godinho OL (; born 31 August 1945) is a Portuguese singer-songwriter, composer, actor, poet and author.
Considered one of the most influential popular musicians in Portugal, Godinho started his music career singing folk songs o ...
) (2015)
* ''Só ao vivo'' (2017)
*''70 Voltas ao Sol – Ao vivo no Castelo de S. Jorge'' (2021)
Compilation albums
* ''Deixa-me Rir'' (1996)
* ''O Melhor dos Melhores'' (1998)
* ''Clássicos da Renascença'' (2000)
* ''Dá-me Lume: O Melhor de Jorge Palma'' (2000)
* ''Estrela do Mar'' (2004)
* ''A Arte e a Música de Jorge Palma'' (2004)
* ''Grandes Êxitos'' (2013)
* ''Grandes Êxitos Vol. 2'' (2015)
Singles
*"The Nine Billion Names Of God" (1972)
*"A Última Canção" (1973)
*"Pecado Capital" (with Fernando Girão) (1975)
*"Viagem" (1975)
*"Deixa-me Rir" (1985)
*"Dormia Tão Sossegada" (2001)
*"Encosta-te A Mim" (2007)
*"Página em Branco" (2011)
Honours
*
![PRT_Order_of_Prince_Henry_-_Commander_BAR](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/PRT_Order_of_Prince_Henry_-_Commander_BAR.svg)
Commander of the
Order of Prince Henry
The Order of Prince Henry ( pt, Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) is a Portuguese order of knighthood created on 2 June 1960, to commemorate the quincentenary of the death of the Portuguese prince Henry the Navigator, one of the main initiators of ...
(17 November 2020)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palma, Jorge
1950 births
Living people
Portuguese pianists
Portuguese songwriters
Male songwriters
20th-century Portuguese male singers
Golden Globes (Portugal) winners
Singers from Lisbon
Male pianists
21st-century Portuguese male singers