Portuguese singer brings her rhytmic fusion project to São Paulo
Electronic and instrumental experimentation combined with the melodic swing of jazz and the distinctive voice of Portuguese singer Maria Joao — this is the unique recipe of Portuguese trio OGRE for next Thursday’s performance at the SESC Pompeia theatre in Sao Paulo.
“We have different musical origins. Each of us brought their own influences and, in the end, we found a common ground,” said André Nascimento (the groups electronic instrumentalist) to Agencia Efe.
After performances in countries like France, Switzerland, Spain and Chile, the musicians come to Brazil to present the new album ‘Plástico’, which will be released in Europe this September.
According to the pianist João Farinha, the album is “a path to explore styles” that they had not touched before.
The trio is eager to find the Brazilian public, as they believe that a common language (Portuguese) brings them closer and bridges gaps.
“Brazilian music is something very close to me — triangle that it forms with the music of Africa, the homeland of my mother, and Portuguese music, makes a difference,” said Maria João.
Although their unique style is not very close to Brazilian rhythms, the group hopes to find a space in this country, which they have visited before.
All of the band’s members have gone through jazz, although in the end each of them works with a style where improvisation plays a decisive role. Some sound effects that in other genres would be made digitally, they prefer to do them with the voice. A formula that harnesses the prestige of singer Maria João, after working with the likes of Gilberto Gil and Lenine.
