Mônica Vasconcelos

b. 13 November 1966, São Paulo, Brazil. A warm and expressive vocalist, Vasconcelos began her musical career in the clubs of her home-town. Moving to London, England in 1992, she continued to sing and formed Nóis (meaning ‘Us’), her backing band, in 1994. She was joined by Brazilian guitarist Ife Tolentino alongside British jazz musicians including keyboard player Steve Lodder (best known for his work with Andy Sheppard) and trombonist Paul Nieman. The ensemble’s distinctively Brazilian fusion of bossa and jazz found full expression on Vasconcelos’ 1997 debut, mixing original material, very much in the classic Brazilian style, with cover versions of songs by Djavan, Ivan Linns, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Milton Nascimento. The 1999 follow-up Nóisdois featured a greater diversity of styles including excursions into jazzy ballads, the music of Brazil’s Bahain region and even a rap. In the new millennium, Vasconcelos began performing with Tolentino, Ingrid Laubrock (b. 1970, Stadtlohn, Germany; vocals/saxophone) and Chris Wells (b. England; drums) in Nóis4.