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Barbara Mendes
WWW.BARBARAMENDES.COM
Barbara Mendes cresceu na capital nacional da Bossa Nova e da MPB: Rio de Janeiro.
Em final de 1995 muda-se para Nova York para estudar canto e lá fica até 2005.
Em 1997, começa, então, sua carreira nos palcos internacionais. Participa do Tributo a Elis Regina, ao lado de Nana Caymmi e Bebel Gilberto no Town Hall em NYC.
Em 1998, foi a única cantora brasileira convidada a participar do festival de Jazz Ocean Blue Jazz Festival no Japão, ao lado de Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tito Puente, Milt Jackson e etc.
Em 99, é chamada pelo arranjador e produtor, Eumir Deodato para gravar três canções da trilha sonora do filme Bossa Nova ( One Note Samba, Amor em Paz e Inútil Paisagem), dirigido por Bruno Barreto, dentre elas a trilha de abertura. O CD foi lançado pela Verve em 2000.
Ainda em 99, é finalista do 2º Prêmio Visa, realizado em São Paulo pela Rádio Eldorado, e recebe entusiasmados elogios da mÃdia paulista:
Em 2000, fez sua primeira turnê na Grécia, cantando no Half Note Jazz Club (Atenas) e no Mylos Club (Tessaloniki), retornando nos dois anos seguintes, onde grava o CD “Live in Greeceâ€, com lançamento independente. No mesmo ano, participa da trilha do filme indiano SNIP, com lançamento do CD na Ãndia, pela Universal Music. Faz um grande concerto para a produtora de cinema Merchant & Ivory, ao lado do tablista indiano Zakir Hussein.
Também em 2000 começa a trabalhar com o DJ e produtor de Dance/House Music François Kevorkian (François K.), dono do selo Wave Music, renomado DJ, que já trabalhou com nomes como U2, Glória Stephan, KraftWork, B52’s, Diana Ross, etc.
Em 2001, se junta novamente a François e Terry Burrus para compôr a música “Awakening†para a compilação Bossa Très Jazz, com arranjo de cordas de Deodato, lançado na Europa, Japão e EUA pelo selo Yellow Productions. O single é lançado na compilação Bossa Mundo Vol. 2 pela Wave Music. Barbara e François embarcam em turnê pela Europa, EUA (Winter Music Conference 2002) e Canadá durante 2001 e 2002.
No inÃcio de 2002, no Brasil, participa do Free Jazz no Rio de Janeiro, no palco Village, convidada pelo Barão Vermelho - Guto Goffi - e em SP no Skol Beats ao lado de François K.
Em 2003, mais um single de Dance Music “Got to Be in Loveâ€, produzido por François K. e Eric Kupper é lançado nos EUA e Europa pelo selo Wave Music.
Apresenta-se no Kennedy Center em Washington, no Millenium Stage, ao lado do pianista Cliff Korman e banda Gafieira Dance Club. Em Nova York, canta no evento promovido pelo Brazil Foundation, com a participação de Paulo Moura e canja de Gilberto Gil.
EM 2005, grava a música "Praia de Genipabu" para a trilha do filme "Be Cool" com John Travolta, Uma Thurman e etc.
Grava e se apresenta ao vivo em NYC com o grupo de balé Pilobolus, com direção musical do "head director" da Julliard School of Music - NYC - Edward Billous.
Entre idas e vindas ao Brasil, canta, no Rio de Janeiro no Rio Scenarium, com a banda Pagode Jazz Sardinha’s Club, homenageando os grandes compositores da MPB.
Com o grupo, e, 2005, ela canta no Festival de música brasileira no sul da França, junto com Lenine, Milton Nascimento, Daniela Mercury e outros
Em 2005/2006, grava o seu primeiro trabalho autoral, concebido com a parceria do grande compositor, arranjador e pianista Alan Mallet que já tocou com grandes nomes da música mundial como Paul Simon.
Entre 2005 e 2006, Barbara fez uma séries de shows no Rio de Janeiro para a divulgação do seu novo trabalho. Seus shows puderam ser vistos no Mistura Fina, Estrela da Lapa, Centro Cultural Carioca, Centro Cultural Estácio de Sá, Centro Cultural Julieta Serpa e etc. Foi também a NYC, Moscou e em Portugal.
Em Novembro de 2006 retorna à Grecia para shows em Atenas, Volos e Larissa, lançando se Cd “Barbara Mendesâ€.
Barbara se prepara para o lançamento de seu novo CD "Nada pra Depois", produzido por Mauricio Oliveira e Andre Vasconcellos, pela Trilhos Arte.
REGARDED AS ONE OF BRAZIL’S GREATEST VOCAL TALENTS OF BRAZIL, Barbara Mendes was raised in Rio de Janeiro, the general headquarter of Brazilian Popular Music and Bossa Nova.
In 1995 she graduates at Law Scholl and moves to New York City in order to develop her singing skills, going to The New School for Social Research. Two years later, she began her discovery of Gospel techniques with Ellayssandra London, a gospel singer from Harlem, who above all, taught her " how to express her voice through her soul". Her continued vocal instruction came from Pat Holley, who coached her for many years.
In 1997 she joins Brazooca Band formed by local brazilian musicians singing weekly at the well known Club Café Wha in the West Village where known artists as Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix and Bob Dylan started their carrers.
Her first major gig in NY was the Tribute to Elis Regina at the Town Hall - NYC, performing alongside Bebel Gilberto, Nana Caymmi, Paulo Braga and Luizão Maia.
In August of 1998, Barbara was the only Brazilian singer invited to perform at the Ocean Blue Jazz Festival (ex-Mount Fuji), in Japan. Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Tito Puente, Kenny Burrell and Milt Jackson were also on the program roster. Meanwhile, she performed and recorded with different artists in NYC always bringing her brazilian flavor as a distinguishing aspect of her unique style.
In May of 1999, she made the finals of the most important vocal contest in São Paulo/Brazil - Prêmio Visa, getting great reviews from the biggest Brazilian newspaper music critics.
In June of the same year, she recorded the Soundtrack of the movie Bossa Nova, directed by the brazilian director Bruno Barreto and scored by Grammy Award Winner, producer, arranger, and composer Eumir Deodato. She recorded “Useless Landscape†by Tom Jobim and Aloysio Oliveira on a beautiful duet with Deodato on piano that was the opening track for the movie. She also sang “One Note Samba†and “Once I Loved†both by Jobim. The soundtrack was released by Verve in 2000.
In March 2000, Barbara embarked on her first tour to Greece performing at the Half Note Jazz Club in Athens and Mylos Club in Tessaloniki. At the end of the year she retured to Half Note Jazz Club performing Sold Out shows and recording her first Live CD, "Live in Greece" with independent release. She was back in 2002 for the release of the CD in Athens at the Half Note.
Recommended by Eumir Deodato, started working with the DJ and Producer François Kevorkian ( François K.), one of the biggest names in the Dance/House Music world. He worked with Diana Ross, U2, Kraftwerk, B52’s, and Gloria Stephan - to name a few. He was also one of the founders of the Body and Soul party in NYC. With DJ Francois, Barbara recorded the Remix of "Me Vacancies a Rio" by Rhinocerose released by V2, a project that solidified the beginning of a great musical relationship. In 2001, Barbara Mendes, François K. and Terry Burrus co-wrote the track "Awakening" released by Yellow Production at the compilation Bossa Très Jazz (Step into the Gallery).
She toured all over Europe, USA and Japan promoting the single during 2002 and 2003.
Back in NY she performed at the Merchant & Ivory Foundation - "East meets West" with Zakir Hussein and recording a soundtrack for the Indian movie SNIP by Sun Hill Sippy scored by Ashutosh Phatak and Dhruv Ghanekar, released by Universal in India. Her voice was present in the US musical scene, working and recording with artists such as Randy Brecker, John Lee, Don Braden, Eumir Deodato, François K., Dominique Dalcan, Anne Pollack, Clive Stevens, and Francis Mbappe.
In Rio de Janeiro, she performed at The Free Jazz Music festival with the Guto Goffi band.
In 2004 e 2005, the new single "Got to be In Love", produced by François K. and Eric Kupper was released by Wave Music becoming a hit in Europe.
At the Kennedy Center - Washington, she performed with the pianist and arranger Cliff Korman and the Gafieira Dance Club Band at the Millenium Stage. In NYC she performed with Cliff Korman and the brazilian saxophone player Paulo Moura for the Brazilian Foundation. Having Gilberto Gil as a special guest.
She performed at the Sanary Festival in Sanary Sur Mer in France with Pagode Jazz sardinha’s Club along with Milton Nascimento, Lenine, Daniela Mercury just to name a few.
You can also hear Barbara at the movie BE COOL singing the track “Praia de Genipabuâ€. Also was part of the Ballet act “PILOBOLUSâ€, recording and performing in NYC with the company.
She started working with french pianist/producer Alain Mallet on a record that featured her original music named “ Barbara Mendes†It was recorded mostly in Rio and performed by brazilian musicians such as: Marcos Suzano, Bernardo Bosisio, Lula Galvão, Paulo Braga, Sergio Brandão, Eduardo Neves, Rodrigo Lessa, just to name a few. The record is being negotiated. Release date TBA.
In 2006, she toured in Brazil, Russia and Portugal In November 2006, she toured around Greece releasing her independent record “Barbara Mendesâ€
IN BRAZIL
Barbara is presently getting ready for the release of her new album "Nada pra Depois" produced by Mauricio Oliveira and Andre Vasconcellos by Trilhos Artes. Release date TBA.