finetune artist: Joyce

b. Joyce Silveira Palhano de Jesus, 31 January 1948, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Joyce began singing professionally in 1968, having previously studied classical guitar. She recorded two albums with little success and then, in 1970, joined A Tribo. This band, which also featured Nana Vasconcelos, lasted for two years, following which Joyce recorded another solo album and then retired from music. However, in 1975 she accepted an invitation to sing and play the guitar with the band of poet and songwriter Vin¡cius De Moraes, with whom she embarked on a world tour. During the tour she recorded an album in Rome that featured songs by artists such as Caetano Veloso and Chico Buarque, whose material was banned by the military dictatorship in power in Brazil at the time. In 1977 she moved to New York, USA and recorded an album with local jazz musicians, including Michael Brecker, but it was never released and she returned to Brazil to concentrate on songwriting. Following recordings of her songs by artists such as Milton Nascimento, Maria Bethnia and Elis Regina, she was offered a recording contract by EMI (Brazil) and in 1980 released Feminina. "Clarana", taken from the album became a national hit. qua E Luz released in 1981 and Tardes Cariocas in 1983 were also successful in Brazil. A track from her next release, Saudade Do Futuro, was entered for a musical festival in Japan, that led to huge and lasting popularity for Joyce among Japan's Latin-jazz fans. Following this she recorded two albums of the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim and de Moraes, and then two albums released by Verve Records USA. In 1989 "Aldeia De Ogum", a track from Feminina, became hugely popular on London's jazz dance scene, leading to a burst of interest in her elusive Brazilian releases (copies of which were changing hands for £100 or more). Her popularity as a live performer grew as a result of this, while tracks from her albums appeared on various compilations of Brazilian music. Meus Mementos and The Essential Joyce both feature a selection of songs from her rare Brazilian releases. Live At The Mojo Club was recorded in concert in Hamburg, Germany. The warm and fresh sounding, Hard Bossa, harked back to her recordings of the 70s and 80s.

Listen to Joyce at Finetune.

(2007) Astronauta
(2006) The Essential Joyce
(2006) Astronauta
(2006) Retratos
(1998) Astronauta: Songs of Elis

Querelas Do Brasil
Canto De Ossanha
Astronauta (Samba Da Pergunta)
Morro Velho
Essa Mulher