“I love you.  Do you love me?”  That’s what I remember from my first Tania Maria concert.  This beautiful passionate Brazilian woman got on stage, sat down at her piano bench and began to call out to the audience, “I love you.  Do you love me,” repeating it several times.  I was hooked before she played her first chord.

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time you already know that I have a soft spot for Brazilian music and for hearing the Portuguese language being sung in a Brazilian accent.  There’s just something about it that is so beautiful, poetic, and romantic to me.  There is also fire and passion in the music of Tania Maria and I am drawn to it. I’d have to say in my estimation Tania Maria covers it all in her writing and performance.  She is beautiful, poetic, romantic, fiery, passionate, and a sensitive and expressive singer and keyboardist. The poetry of the songs she writes dance off the page and her deliverance makes it all come alive.  Whether she is playing a song that is upbeat or a ballad, it’s all in “her” hands, and heart.  A wonderful performer and a masterful pianist Tania Maria began playing music at the age of 7.  By the time she was 13, her father, a very good amateur musician, had her fronting a band.  Since then she has always been her own leader.

Her family was musical including her four sisters, but the other siblings opted to become professionals.  Maria started on that path too and actually went to Law School but her love of music was too strong and ultimately won out.  Surrounded by the sounds from her country, the samba, and popular music of Brazil, Maria absorbed these rhythms and styles and eventually fused them with her love of jazz.  Influenced by the likes of Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan and Bill Evans, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Milton Nascimento, her music became a synthesis of all this and more.

Tania Maria released her first album, “Olha Quwm Chega,” in Brasil in 1971. Since then she has released 20 plus more.  In the late 70’s Maria decided to move to France, which turned out to be the ultimate jump start of her career as her audience expanded in the process.  It was during this time that Maria started to tour and it was on a tour in Australia that the singer/songwriter/keyboardist met famed jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd who made the connection for her with the jazz label Concord Records.  From there her career took off.  In the 90’s she moved from France to New York, but currently resides in France once again and continues to record, tour, and play.

Tania Maria has played at just about every famous jazz club and jazz festival in the world as well as many other prestigious venues, and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows throughout the world.  Maria is dear to many people’s hearts and is both a loved and well-respected musician around the globe.  And in answer to your question Tania, “Yes, I do love you!”  Your playing, performances, discs and songs over the years have brought me countless hours of joy and happiness.

To hear Tania Maria sing in English her song, “It’s All In My Hands,” simply click on the link below or cut and paste it into your browser.