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Saxophonist, Ethnomusicologist, Producer, Composer, Entrepreneur Multi-award winning Moreira Chonguica (37) is a celebrated musician, from Maputo, Mozambique.
TERTIARY STUDIES
Moreira attended the University of Cape Town to further his music studies and he graduated from the South African College of Music with a degree in jazz performance and an honours degree in Ethnomusicology (cum laude) in 2000.
RELEASED CD'S
1. MP RELOADED (2013)
This is a remix of some of his favourites songs from his first two albums namely The Moreira Project Vol 1: The Journey and The Moreira Project Vol 2: Citizen of the World. The photographs are by Zwelethu Mthethwa. Having played with DJ's in South Africa, Moreira was fascinated by the beats they made with the music and he decided to have some fun with his own music. MP Reloaded is the result.
2. KHANIMAMBO - Moreira Chonguica homenageia Lendas de Mozambique Vol 1. Moreira Chonguica pays tribute to the Legends of Mozambique Vol 1 (2011)
This album is a mixture of traditional Mozambican sounds, rock, ballads and jazz with unsolicited commentary in between most of the tracks by the artists themselves. The ten-featured artists on the album are all from different parts of Mozambique. Again all the portrait shots of the artists were shot by Zwelethu Mthethwa. Each artist sings in his or her mother tongue providing an introduction to themselves at the beginning of the song. The instrumentalists were all from Cape Town. Moreira re-arranged all the songs himself and plays on a number of the tracks. The album was mixed at Paris Studios by Paris Zannos and Moreira Chonguica and mastered at Milestone Studios by Murray Anderson. This album was produced by Moreira alone and honours these Mozambican musicians.
This album was nominated for two SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS namely BEST ENGINEER and BEST AFRICAN ADULT ALBUM.
3. The Moreira Project: Vol 2 - Citizen of the World (2009)
He is a prolific researcher and is fascinated by traditional music from different parts of the world. Some examples of samples that he has collected can be found in his latest album THE MOREIRA PROJECT: VOL 2 CITIZEN OF THE WORLD that was released in October 2008. The album features some of the finest talents in the industry all of whom have contributed and added their unique sounds and passion to create an exceptional product. These include Lion of Africa - Manu Dibango , top smooth American jazz artist, Najee, up and coming hip hop artist, Simba; and well known local vocalist, Jaco Maria. All the photographs on the album sleeve are by well-known artist and photographer, Zwelethu Mthethwa. The album was mixed in Cape Town and mastered by Phillipe Brun in Paris, France.
In 2009 This album was nominated for three SA Music Awards namely Best Contemporary Jazz, Best Producer and Best Album Packaging and won for BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ and BEST ALBUM PACKAGING.
4. The Moreira Project: Vol 1 - The Journey (2006)
Moreira's debut album, THE MOREIRA PROJECT: Vol 1 - The Journey was released in January 2006 and received with overwhelming response from the industry as well as the media on both local and international levels. The album expresses not only his phenomenal song writing ability and energetic performances but also his major personal coup of securing the support and talent of international jazz legend - NAJEE on several tracks.Working with such an accomplished musician is a dream come true for Moreira. States an elated Moreira, "Najee and I first met at the B.E.T Festival in Durban a few years ago. Then a year later we both performed at the Joy of Jazz Festival. We spoke at length and he promised to send me a better saxophone. True to his word, he actually did! It arrived on 13 December 2003 - I will never forget the date or the gesture. This is someone I grew up listening to, along with the likes of Grover Washington Jr and others. And now here I am Mozamibican born and bred, buttered in Cape Town…with this legend coming halfway around the planet to perform on my album. It's just unbelievable". The album specialises in contemporary African fusion jazz and was recorded by Moreira's own independent recording label, MoreStar Entertainment (Pty) Ltd. Produced by Mark Fransman and Moreira; the album has created a new awakening in jazz lovers as well as capturing a niche for the 'fresh ear'.
In 2007, THE MOREIRA PROJECT: Vol 1- The Journey was nominated for three SOUTH AFRICA MUSIC AWARDS namely BEST INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM, BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM and BEST PRODUCER for MOREIRA CHONGUICA and co-producer MARK FRANSMAN. The album won the award for BEST PRODUCER. It was an honour indeed for a debut album produced by an independent record label.
COMMUNITY WORK
Not only is Moreira a consummate performer, but he is also strongly involved in the promotion of education. When his first album was launched in his hometown of Maputo, he donated R10 000 to start a campaign to renovate the Escola Nacional de Musica (National School of Music) the school that he attended as a youth. Whenever he goes back to Maputo, he makes sure to spend some time at the school conducting workshops and involving the children in corporate functions he may be booked for. He has been involved for a number of years now with the United Nations HIV/Aids agency in Maputo and wrote a song for World Aids Day in 2009, which was performed for the President of Mozambique and at the opening of the All African Games in September 2011. In 2010, with assistance from a Brazilian film crew, a video was produced of the song. His passion is education and his latest project is SENSASONS with the John Hopkins University, which worked with high school children running a competition with them to produce prose and poetry on how they feel about HIV and AIDS. Then the top 10 pieces were taken and Moreira and others wrote the music and a concert was held to perform these pieces. Now a CD is in the pipeline. The winners of the prose and poetry were all given laptops and a small library of books to encourage them to continue to write poetry and prose and study literature.
PRODUCER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Apart from producing all his own albums The Moreira Project: "Vol 1 - The Journey", "Vol 2 - Citizen of the World" and his latest album "Khanimambo", Moreira has also produced for two top African singers namely AFRIKKANITHA (from Angola) - "Ainda Sonho" (2 songs) and SIMPIWE DANA (South Africa) - "Kulture Noir" (3 songs).
ADDITIONAL ACCOLADES
In 2000 Moreira was chosen by City of Chicago to be part of the Cultural Exchange programme co-ordinated by Ernest Dawkins alongside a few other South African musicians. In 2002, he was runner up in the annual Adcock Ingram Jazz Competition run through UCT.
In September 2009 - Moreira was invited to play in Rio de Janiero as the only African on the show honouring Brazilian maestro Silvio Barbarto who was tragically killed on the Air France plane that crashed in the Ocean in May 2009. Since then Moreira has made a number of trips to Rio and Brasilia for various events and concerts and recently conducted a master class at the University of Brasilia.
In December 2009, Moreira was included in the list by Jornal Noticias of Mozambique as the Best of 2009 together with President Guebuza and the Mambas (Mozambican Football Team). Moreira was also elected Cultural Personality of 2009 by Radio Mozambique.
In November 2010, Moreira was invited to attend the inaugural African Leaders Network conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as an inaugural member alongside top business and financial leaders of the African continent.
In November 2012, Moreira was invited to attend the 5th Entertainment and Education Conference in New Delhi to present his new project "Sensason" of which he is a patron along with John Hopkins University. This project aims to bring awareness to youth through inviting them to write about themselves and their views on HIV/Aids through poetry and prose which will be put to music.
In November 2013, Moreira was invited to attend the International Conference on Family Planning in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he performed and spoke a few words.
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES
As saxophonist for Jimmy Dludlu from 1999 - 2004, he participated in various international festivals such as:
He has performed on numerous CD's with top SA musicians like Alvin Dyers, Jimmy Dludlu, Loading Zone, Stewart Sukuma, Mabulu Project and Wanda Baloyi.
Since 2005 he has led his own band THE MOREIRA PROJECT which has played at most of Southern Africa's top festivals namely:
There are also numerous corporate, government and private events. Moreira's band comprises some of Cape Town's hottest young jazz musicians. He handpicks his band dependent on the event and occasion.
Moreira's band comprises some of Cape Town's hottest young jazz musicians. He hand picks his band dependant on the event and occasion.
This funky, hip and happening musician who is also a prolific researcher is full of energy and passion and it shows when he plays that sax, whatever the occasion, whatever the event.
ADVERTISING
COMPOSER
Moreira has composed the music for a number of documentaries which can be seen on his website.
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