About Me
Hello citizens of the world, I'm Sanja Maas a jazzvocalist born in the capital of Europe Brussels from a Serbian-Macedonian mother and a Dutch father.
My father Menno Maas (1943-1998) was a jazz pianoplayer in the seventies & the beginning of the eighties, he introduced me to the magic world of jazzimprovisation and in particular his Fender Rhodes on which I've played my first notes at the age of 2. At the age of 7 I started classical piano during 7 years but parallel to this universe I continued to experience my love for improvisation.
Since the age of 9 I knew that singing would be my life. I started performing at the age of 13 and never stopped since then.
In the year 2000 I started to work with a very talented musician and sound wizard (with his sampler MPC 4000) Max Vande Merghel. Together we've created a nu-jazz, trip-hop project called Sayma. We currently work on a new album, to be continued...
I'm influenced by my Balkan roots and in my lyrics I sometimes sing in Serbo-Croatian. I had the chance to sing for Amnesty International, at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Paris, and in fancy clubs around Europe (Teatro Kapital Madrid, Le Village Juan-Les-Pins, ...) Beside music I've studied art school for a few years and the world of colours, drawings, abstract paintings are part of my universe.
I had the chance to work as a backingvocalist with the Belgian singer Jo Lemaire, John Chris (musician from Burundi), the Refugee Voices for the UNHCR (Geneva Switserland).Musicians,singers, I've worked or work with:
Edmundo Carneiro (percussionist who worked with St Germain, Bob Sinclar, Tania Maria), Erwin Vann (tenorsaxophone, worked with Kenny Wheeler,Steve Coleman, Reggie Washington,etc...), Renoar Hadri (bassplayer check www.renoarts.com), Arnaud Carette (producer, musician), Eric Vermeulen (contemporary jazz pianist), Nicolas Kummert (tenorsaxophone), Philippe Joosens (jazz pianist), Laurent Blondiau (trumpet, fluegelhorn, Maak's Spirit, Octurn, etc...), Teun Verbruggen, Oswaldo Hernandez, Miary Lepiera, Didier Likeng, Gato Bedseyele, Peter Schneider, Pierre Anckaert, Peter Van Marle, Otti Van Der Werf (Octurn, Greetings from Mercury), Jessica Tamsma, Catherine Smet, Patrick Dorcean, Nina Babet, Miss Camille, Aldo Granato, Oli Cima (Duo Varial), Maxime Lenssens, Renaud Van Hooland and the soundengineer Renaud Houben. These are some of the talented people I've crossed and cross on my path.Recordings:
-Shadow records: compilation 2002 'New, Used and Absurd' NYC
track: Not so sure, band Sayma
-Pschent Paris compilation Midem 40 years Anniversary
track: It's too late (DJ Shade, Sanja Maas & Arnaud Carette)
-Electronic Summer in Corsica volume 02:backingvocals on Edmundo Carneiro's track: Freaky Spin BR 00
-Electronic Summer in Corsica volume 03
track: Rescue Me (Sanja Maas, Arnaud Carette & Luciano Manente)
-Album 'Capricorn' by Sayma (Sanja Maas & Max Vande Merghel)
-On en a marre! by Marka participation with other singers for Amnesty International'Halte à la violence contre les femmes' check: www.amnesty.be
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