Josee Koning - Bem Brasilero (2007)

Bossa nova, baião, afro-Brazilian, maracatu, samba soul, maxixe and samba-canção are some of the styles Josee collected for her fifth solo album Bem Brasileiro. Old en new Brasilian songs, all wonderfully arranged and played by the cream of the cream top Brazilian musicians. This is Josee Koning's third solo album recorded in Brasil. Just to mention a few from an album full of highlights: 'Diz que tem' written for Carmen Miranda in the '40; a new bossa nova called 'Voz e violão' written by Sergio Santos, in a great arrangement by Nelson Faria; 'Memoria da Pele 'is a surprising duet with João Bosco. Nominated with an Edison World Music Awards in the Netherlands, Bem Brasileiro received great press critics: 'It makes sense that Dutch singer Josee Koning chose to feature Nosso Trio on her new album. Like the Brazilian trio, Josee also is in full control of her instrument, the voice, and she dedicates that extraordinary quality to the music she performs, rather than to make a showcase out of it. The result is a relaxed high quality album with a nice variety of Brazilian music....' ' Bem Brasileiro is a happy, danceable and sometimes melancolic album....' ' The repertoire looks quite familiar with songs like 'Que Pena,' 'Água de Beber,' 'Curumim' and 'Memória da Pele,' but you can leave it to Josee to make them sound fresh. On Jorge Ben's 'Que Pena,' the great Marcos Suzano does the trick with his up front recorded pandeiro. The supportive bass lines from this album's producer Rodolfo Stroeter and the nostalgic Fender Rhodes piano by Rafael Vernet are Josee's other companions' Biography: Dutch singer Josee Koning has always had a passion for Brazilian music and is well known for her interpretation of the 'Música Popular Brasileira', not only in the Netherlands but also in Brazil. She started her career in the 1980's and had been working with a wonderful selection of Brazil's finest musicians since 1995. Josee's lastest album Bem Brasiliero for instance, was recorded in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo with the sublime musicians of Nosso Trio [Nelson Faria (guitar), Ney Conceição (bass) and Kiko Freitas (drums)] and participation of the great João Bosco. Nosso Trio also participated at her Dutch [!] album Verdronken Vlinder, a tribute to her late husband and great Dutch lyricist Lennaert Nijgh. With this album Josee succeeded in blending beautiful Dutch lyrics with sensitive Brazilian chords and rythms. The result is a delightful album, that proves that music is universal when it is performed by full-hearted super musicians. Josee Koning's cooperation with Brazilian musicians started off in 1995 with her first solo-album Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim. It was recorded in Los Angeles, and produced and arranged by the famous Brazilian Dori Caymmi who also worked with stars like Sarah Vaughan, Herbie Hancock and Elis Regina. In April 1996 Josee even shared the stage with Dori and his also famous musical family in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In October 1998 Dori Caymmi came to Holland to record Josee's second solo-album entitled Dois Mundos / Two Worlds. In addition he brought his friend, the famous Brazilian singer/composer Ivan Lins to sing some of his famous songs with Josee. The album was successfully released in the Netherlands and Brazil. In 2004 the track Coração Vagabundo was even used for the Brazilian telenovela Seus Olhos. Ivan Lins has been participating in Josee's musical projects since. He had a leading role in Josee's third album Recorded in Rio, that was recorded in the famous Discover Studio in Rio de Janeiro. This album was arranged and produced by Uruguayan guitar virtuoso Leonardo Amuedo, and featured drummer Teo Lima and accordion wizard Sivuca. In October 2007 Josee toured the Netherlands with Nosso Trio. In April 2008 she performd with Nosso Trio in Brazil and in July she played again with Nosso Trio at a Tribute to 50 years of Bossa Nova in the Netherlands. For this project she worked with the fabulous Swiss cellist Daniel Pezzotti. Together they now form a band called 'Who's the Bossa?' Josee studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory and gained more in-depth knowledge of the Brazilian music and culture, studying in Rio de Janeiro. She teaches Brazilian music at the conservatories of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.