Mariza

Born in Mozambique and hailing from Portugal, Mariza has taken the world by storm with the passionate and powerful sounds of fado. For those who have not yet heard of this genre, it is believed to have originated in pre-19th century Portugal and is known for its sorrowful tunes fueled by yearning and loss. While there are notable differences, it can be likened to Spanish flamenco more than any other genre.

With five studio albums and two Latin Grammy nominations already under her belt (one of which was garnered for her most recent album, Terra), Mariza has proven herself as a promising musician and certainly the front-runner of the new wave in fado music. Is it the sheer commanding force behind her voice, her infectious and moving energy, or her strikingly aesthetic personal style that has set her aside from other artists? The combination of all these attributes endows her with the breathtaking ability to move her listeners to the height of experiencing the pain and beauty of being alive.

As a now well-established artist, Mariza has included traditional songs as well as more experimental tracks on Terra. “Rosa Branca,” a reinvigorated classic, shows off the grace and allure of the Portuguese language coupled with a simple yet skillful acoustic guitar as accompaniment. “As Guitarras” goes in another direction, infusing the customary fado style with a jazzy piano and an upright bass, while keeping a flamenco-inspired acoustic guitar in place.

Most compelling are her songs that capture the essence of saudade, which has no exact translation to English but can be described as the overpowering nostalgia and yearning for something which is gone. “Minh’alma,” a song of supreme soul-searching, artfully paints a portrait of desperately grasping for one’s true direction and purpose in this life, while “Alma de Vento” is characterized by such genuine wistful emotion that she may have captured the sound of a breaking heart.

While the studio recordings are flawless, Mariza is a natural-born live performer whose concerts are filled to the brim with emotional crescendos and artistic elegance. She’ll be touring across the United States starting in February.

2/13/2009, Friday – Toronto, Ontario, Masey Hall
2/14/2009, Saturday – Chicago, Illinois, Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center
2/15/2009, Sunday – Montreal, Quebec, Théâtre Maisonneuve, Place Des Arts
2/17/2009, Tuesday — Quebec City, La Palais Montcalm- Salle Raoul Jobin
2/19/2009, Thursday – Amherst, Massachusetts, University of Massachusetts Fine Arts Center
2/20/2009, Friday – Fairfield, Connecticut, Fairfield University Kelley Theatre
2/25/2009, Wednesday – Buffalo, New York, University of Buffalo Center for the Arts
2/27/2009, Friday – Greenvale, New York, Long Island University Tilles Center for the Performing Arts
2/28/2009, Saturday – New York, New York, Town Hall
3/01/2009, Sunday – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kimmel Theater, Verizon Hall
3/03/2009, Tuesday – Hanover, New Hampshire, Spaulding Auditorium
3/04/2009, Wednesday – Burlington, Vermont, Flynn Theater
3/06/2009, Friday – Fairfax, Virginia, George Mason University – Center for the Arts Concert Hall              3/07/2009, Saturday – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Byham Theater
3/09/2009, Monday – Nashville, Tennessee, Schermerhorn Symphony Center
3/10/2009, Tuesday – Hampton, Virginia, The American Theatre
3/13/2009, Friday – New Bedford, Massachusetts, Zeiterion Theatre
3/14/2009, Saturday – New Bedford, Massachusetts, Zeiterion Theatre
3/15/2009, Sunday – New London, Connecticut, Garde Theatre
3/18/2009, Wednesday – Los Angeles, California, Walt Disney Concert Hall
3/19/2009, Thursday – Santa Barbara, California, Lobero Theatre
3/21/2009, Saturday – Savannah, Georgia, Lucas Theatre
3/27/2009, Friday – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Au Rene Theatre
3/28/2009, Saturday – Miami, Florida, Knight Concert Hall
3/29/2009, Sunday – Atlanta, Georgia, Robert Fest Theatre
3/31/2009, Tuesday – Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Memorial Hall
4/01/2009, Wednesday – Richmond, Virginia, Camp Concert Hall
4/03/2009, Friday – Germantown, Tennessee, Germantown Performing Arts Centre
4/04/2009, Saturday – Fayetteville, Arizona, Walton Arts Center
4/05/2009, Sunday – St. Louis, Missouri, Sheldon Concert Hall
4/08/2009, Wednesday – Madison, Wisconsin, Wisconsin Union Theatre
4/10/2009, Friday – Cleveland, Ohio, Ohio Theatre Playhouse Sq. Center
4/11/2009, Saturday – Detroit, Michigan, Music Hall Center for Performing Arts
4/14/2009, Tuesday – West Lafayette, Indiana, Loeb Playhouse – Purdue University
4/15/2009, Wednesday – Urbana, Illinois, Krannert Center
4/17/2009, Friday – Seattle, Washington, Benaroya Hall
4/18/2009, Saturday – Vancouver, British Columbia, Concert Hall – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
4/20/2009, Monday – Vancouver, British Columbia, Concert Hall – Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
4/22/2009, Wednesday – Boulder, Colorado, Concert Hall
4/23/2009, Thursday – Santa Fe, New Mexico, Lensic Theatre
4/25/2009, Saturday – Portland, Oregon, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall                                                       4/26/2009, Sunday – Eugene, Oregon, Silva Concert Hall
4/28/2009, Tuesday – San Diego, California, The Balboa Theatre
4/30/2009, Thursday – Napa, California, Napa Valley Opera House
5/01/2009, Friday – Turlock, California, Turlock Community Theatre
5/02/2009, Saturday – San Francisco, California, Masonic Auditorium