Maria João will close the festival on the 14th, accompanied by João Farinha on keyboards, Texito Langa on percussion, and a choir of three voices, for a concert based on her latest album, “Abundância,” released last February.
At that time, the singer explained in an interview the concept behind her new album: “An album of mine that talks about this incredible abundance that happened to me, of having a Mozambican mother and a Portuguese father, of being born here [in Portugal], this abundance, this immense wealth that happened to me culturally and personally, [was something] I really wanted to do.”
“Abundância” is the 31st album of Maria João’s career, following “Quinteto de Maria João” from 1983 and “Cem Caminhos” from 1985.
“Until now, all of them different,” said the performer, who declared herself “proud” of her career and discography.
The jazz festival, from September 12 to 14, brings together around 40 artists at the Monserrate Palace in Sintra, with performances on the lawn taking advantage of the “exceptional orographic conditions,” according to a source from PSML, the company responsible for managing national monuments and parks in Sintra, including the Monserrate Palace and Park, built in the second half of the 19th century, designed by English architect James Thomas Knowles Jr.
The festival, under the artistic direction of Inês Laginha, director of Casa Sassetti in Sintra and coordinator of the Jazz course at the National Conservatory’s Artistic Music School, will take place in an “atmosphere of pure relaxation, with feet on the grass and in contact with nature,” states PSML.
The festival opens with drummer and composer Maria Carvalho on the 12th, with the project “Margem,” in which she revisits the music of José Mário Branco (1942-2019).
This concert is preceded by a free masterclass by violinist and composer Dominic Ingham, a musician who, with his quintet, has successfully performed on international stages.
Drummer and composer Maria Carvalho will be accompanied by Sara Afonso (voice), Bruno Ponte (guitar), Juliana Mendonça (double bass), and Luís Lélis (piano).
On the same day, at night, pianist Luís Figueiredo and dancer and choreographer Miguel Ramalho will premiere a new show at Jazz em Monserrate.
The two artists explore “a common territory: that of real-time creation.” “In this new show, sound and movement intertwine in a space of freedom and risk, where body and piano mutually influence each other, in a continuous process of transformation.”
A novelty in this year’s edition is a ‘jam session’ for babies up to 36 months. This is the only initiative to take place inside the Monserrate Palace, specifically in the music room.
There are two planned ‘jam sessions,’ on the mornings of the 13th and 14th, followed by another by Jazz students from the National Conservatory.
Dominic Ingham performs with his combo on the 13th. Ingham is accompanied by musicians Noah Stoneman (piano), Freddie Jensen (double bass), and Luke McCarthy (drums). The performance “promises emotion, subtlety, and communion,” according to the presentation. The quintet will present their latest album, “Role Models.”
Dominic Ingham is “one of the most innovative violinists on the current European jazz scene,” states PSML, adding that he is also a “powerful communicator and performer [who] has captivated audiences with his deeply personal music,” blending “British folk roots, classical training, and contemporary jazz language.”
At night, the outdoor stage hosts the Orchestra Assintomática, led by Argentine bandoneonist Martín Sued and Mexican singer, double bassist, and composer Fuensanta.
The Orchestra Assintomática, created in 2020, “brings together musicians from Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, Venezuela, and Uruguay, in a collective that starts from the traditional tango formation to create its own language, made of intersections between cultures, genres, and geographies.”
“The festival is based on three fundamental pillars: showcasing the breadth of jazz, providing formative opportunities to young musicians, and creating moments of informal and intergenerational sharing. By stimulating these bridges – between genres, artists, generations, and audiences – the festival continues to establish itself as a festival with cultural and social responsibility, rooted in its community and open to the world,” notes PSML.
