Maria João Monteiro Grancha (born 27 June 1956) is a Portuguese

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

singer. She is known for her vocal flexibility and improvisational skills. Although considered a jazz singer, she incorporates

folk music Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be ca ...

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

, and

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...

. Her main musical partner is Portuguese pianist Mário Laginha. She has also worked with Aki Takase,

Bobby McFerrin Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter, and conductor (music), conductor. His Vocal pedagogy, vocal techniques include singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in Pitch (music), pitch—fo ...

David Linx David Linx (born 22 March 1965) is a Belgian jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, Euro ...

Dino Saluzzi Timoteo "Dino" Saluzzi (born 20 May 1935) is an Argentinian bandoneon player. He is the son of Cayetano Saluzzi and the father of guitarist José Maria Saluzzi. Early life, family and education Timoteo "Dino" Saluzzi was born in Campo Santo, S ...

Gilberto Gil Gilberto Passos Gil Moreira (; born 26 June 1942), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter and politician, known for both his musical innovation and political activism. From 2003 to 2008, he served as Brazil's Ministry of Culture (Brazil), Minister of ...

Joe Zawinul Josef Erich Zawinul ( '; 7 July 1932 – 11 September 2007) was an Austrian jazz and jazz fusion keyboardist and composer. First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with Miles Davis and to bec ...

Kai Eckhardt Kai Eckhardt (born 15 June 1961) is a German born musician and composer who plays bass, best known for his work with John McLaughlin, Vital Information, Torsten de Winkel, Billy Cobham and Garaj Mahal—a band he co-founded. Educated at the ...

, Lenine, Manu Katche,

Ralph Towner Ralph Towner (born March 1, 1940) is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He plays the twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, piano, synthesizer, percussion, trumpet and French horn. Biography Towner was born i ...

Trilok Gurtu Trilok Gurtu (born 30 October 1951) is an Indian percussionist and composer whose work has blended the music of India with jazz fusion and world music. He has worked with Terje Rypdal, Gary Moore, John McLaughlin, Jan Garbarek, Joe Zawinu ...

, Wolfgang Muthspiel, an
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She was invited by RTP to compose an entry for Festival da Canção 2024, the Portuguese selection for the

Eurovision Song Contest 2024 The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 was the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Malmö, Sweden, following the country's victory at the with the song "Tattoo (Loreen song), Tattoo" by Loreen. Organised by the European Br ...

; she performed the song "Dia" in the second semi-final on 2 March 2024, failing to qualify for the final.

Discography

* ''Quinteto Maria João'' (Orfeu (Pt), 1983), with Mário Laginha * ''Cem Caminhos'' with Maria João Quintet (Orfeu/Nabel (G), 1985) * ''Conversa'' with Maria João Quintet (Nabel, 1986) * ''Looking for Love'' with Aki Takase ( Enja (G), 1988) * ''Sol'' with Grupo Cal Viva (Enja, 1991) * ''Alice'' with Aki Takase and

Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (; 27 May 1946 – 19 April 2005), also known by his abbreviated nickname NHØP, was a Danish jazz double bassist. Biography Pedersen was born in Osted, near Roskilde, on the Danish island of Zealand, the son o ...

(Enja, 1992) * ''Danças'' with Mário Laginha (

Verve Verve may refer to: Music * The Verve, an English rock band * '' The Verve E.P.'', a 1992 EP by The Verve * ''Verve'' (R. Stevie Moore album) * Verve Records, an American jazz record label Businesses * Verve Coffee Roasters, an American coffee h ...

World, 1994) * ''Fábula'' (Verve, 1996), with

Manu Katché Manu Katché (born 27 October 1958) is a French drummer and songwriter of Ivorian descent. He has worked extensively as a session musician, notably with Sting and Peter Gabriel, and his solo albums as a bandleader are largely in the jazz fusio ...

a.o. * ''Cor'' with Mário Laginha,

and Wolfgang Muthspiel (Verve, 1998) * ''Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes'' with Mário Laginha and NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra Hannover and Arild Remmereit (PolyGram (Pt)/Verve, 1999) * ''Chorinho Feliz'' with Mário Laginha (Universal (Pt)/Verve, 2000) * ''Mumadji'' with Mário Laginha, Toninho Ferragutti and Helge Norbakken as Mumadji (EmArcy, 2001) * ''Undercovers'' with Mário Laginha (Universal (Pt)/Verve, 2002) * ''Tralha'' (2004) * ''Pele'' with José Peixoto (Zona Música (Pt), 2006) * ''João'' (Universal (Pt), 2007), also released with additional DVD * ''Chocolate'' (2008) * ''Follow the Songlines'' with

Diederik Wissels Diederik Wissels (born December 1960, in Rotterdam, Netherlands) is a Dutch jazz pianist. In 1968, he moved to Brussels, Belgium and later attended Boston's Berklee College of Music. In his early career, he played with Chet Baker, Joe Henderson an ...

, Mário Laginha (

Naïve Naivety (also spelled naïvety), naiveness, or naïveté is the state of being naive. It refers to an apparent or actual lack of experience and sophistication, often describing a neglect of pragmatism in favor of moral idealism. A ''naïve'' may ...

, 2010) * ''Amoras e Framboesas'' (2011) * ''A Different Porgy & Another Bess'' (2012) * ''Electrodoméstico'' (2012) * ''Iridescente'' (2012) * ''Plástico'' with Ogre (Espuma Preta (Pt), 2015) * ''Mar Afora'' with Guinga (Acoustic Music (G), 2015) * ''Studio Konzert'' with Ogre (Neuklang (G), 2017) * ''A Poesia de Aldir Blanc'' (Selo Sesc (Br), 2017) * ''The Blues Experience'' with Budda Power Blues (Mobydick (Pt), 2017) * ''Agora Muda Tudo (Now Everything Changes)'' with Nuno Côrte-Real,

José Luís Peixoto José Luís Marques Peixoto (; born September 4, 1974) is a Portuguese author, poet and playwright. A professional writer since 2001, his works have been translated into more than 30 languages. Biography José Luis Peixoto was born in the villag ...

, Ensemble Darcos (Odradek (Cz), 2018) * ''Open Your Mouth'' with Ogre Electric (2020)

Compilations

* ''Pensa Nisto!'' (1996) – Fidjo Magoado * ''Etnocity/

Underground Sound of Lisbon Underground Sound of Lisbon (sometimes shortened to USL) is a collaboration between Portugal, Portuguese house music record producer, producers Rui da Silva (DJ), Rui da Silva (then known as Doctor J) and DJ Vibe (real name Tó Pereira), who were ...

'' (2000) – Saris e Capolanas (Remix) (MJML) * ''Movimentos Perpétuos'' (2003)– Mãos na Parede (MJML)

As featured vocalist

* ''ABBAcadabra'' (1984) * Júlio Pereira (1990) * LX-90 – ''Uma Revolução Por Minuto/One Revolution Per Minute'' ( BMG Ariola (Pt), 1992) * NDR Bigband – ''Bravissimo II - 50 Years'' ( ACT, 1998) with João on one track recorded 1993 * Júlio Pereira – ''Tarde Quente'' (1994) * Laurent Filipe – ''Ad lib(itum) Vol. 1'' (Movieplay (Pt), 1995) * ''Bom dia Benjamim'', children's musical audiobook (Movieplay (Pt), 1995) *

António Pinho Vargas António Pinho Vargas (born 15 August 1951 in Vila Nova de Gaia) is a Portuguese composer and pianist specializing in jazz and contemporary music. He has also authored books, essays, and articles on music. Career After earning a degree in histor ...

with Maria João & José Nogueira – ''A Luz e a Escuridão'' (EMI (Pt), 1996) * Carlos Bica, Frank Möbus,

Jim Black Jim Black is an American jazz drummer who has performed with Tim Berne and Dave Douglas. He attended Berklee College of Music. Career His band AlasNoAxis includes Hilmar Jensson on electric guitar, Chris Speed on tenor saxophone and clari ...

– ''Azul'' (EmArcy, 1996) * Cantigas de Amigos – ''São Macaio/A Garrafa'' (1998) * Clã - ''Pois'' (1998) *

Dulce Pontes Dulce José Silva Pontes (; born 8 April 1969) is a Portuguese songwriter and singer who performs in many musical styles, including pop, folk, and classical music. She is usually defined as a world music artist. Her songs contributed to the 1990s ...

– ''Modinha das Saias'' (1999) * Bana (1999) * Jorge Palma – ''Acto Contínuo'' (Mercury/Universal (Pt), 2001) *

– ''Faces & Places'' (ESC, 2002), João on one track * Carinhoso – ''Ingénuo'' (2002) * Simentera – ''Lua Cheia'' (2003) * Pirilampo Mágico (with

Mariza Marisa dos Reis Nunes (born 16 December 1973), known professionally as Mariza (), is a Portuguese fado singer. Mariza was born in Lourenço Marques, Portuguese Mozambique, to a Portuguese father, José Brandão Nunes, and a Mozambican mothe ...

Teresa Salgueiro Maria Teresa de Almeida Salgueiro OIH () is a Portuguese singer. She is best known as the lead singer of Madredeus from 1987 until 2007. She also appeared in Wim Wenders' film '' Lisbon Story.'' Career Salgueiro joined Madredeus after other ...

) – ''Faz a Magia Voar'' (2003) * DEP – ''Esquece Tudo O Que Aprendeste'' (Universal (Pt)/EmArcy, 2004) * Danças Ocultas (2004) * Saxofour – ''European Christmas'' (EmArcy, 2004) * Saxofour – ''Cinco'' (EmArcy, 2005) *

– ''Obrigado'' (EMI, 2005), João on two tracks * Blasted Mechanism – ''Avatara'' (2005), João on one track * Clã – ''Vivo'' (EMI (Pt), 2005), João on one track * D'Herbe Foundation – ''Inner Face'' (Free (Pt), 2006), João on two tracks * Lucía Martínez Cuarteto – Soños e Delirios (Nuba (Es), 2008), João on one track * Jan Gunnar Hoff – ''Magma'' (Grappa (Nw), 2008) * Vera e os Seus Amigos – ''Papagaio Fofoca'' (2008) * Ogre – ''Electrodoméstico'' (JACC (Pt), 2012), João on one track * Guinga – ''Porto da Madama'' with

Esperanza Spalding Esperanza Emily Spalding (born October 18, 1984), sometimes professionally known with the stylized name of esperanza spalding, is an American bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, a Boston Music Aw ...

, Maria Pia e Vito and Mônica Salmaso (Selo Sesc (Br), 2015) * David Helbock´s Austrian Syndicate (ACT, 2023) on track "Komm, lieber Mai und Mache"

References

External links

Official websiteMaria João e Mário Laginha Performing LiveMaria João Fan Club WebsiteMaria João Interview at allaboutjazz.com
Portuguese jazz singers Portuguese women jazz singers 1956 births 20th-century Portuguese women singers Living people Singers from Lisbon The Zawinul Syndicate members 21st-century Portuguese women singers {{Jazz-singer-stub