Moreira Chonguica presents a Masterclass "How to understand your leverage and branding as an artist"

ABOUT

MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA

saxophonist, ethnomusicologist, producer, composer,

marketing conceptualist

Multi-award-winning MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA is a celebrated jazz musician born and currently based in Mozambique.

TERTIARY STUDIES

Moreira attended the University of Cape Town to further his music studies, graduating from the South African College of Music with a degree in jazz performance. He also holds an honours degree in Ethnomusicology (cum laude).

ALBUMS

1.  M & M: MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA and MANU DIBANGO (2017)

After performing at the Morejazz Series in Maputo, Mozambique with his band, Manu spoke to Moreira about doing an album of evergreen jazz standards. M & M is that album. Recorded at Ferber Studios in Paris, France, and mastered in Cape Town, South Africa – this collaboration is a way of reviving great well-known music and interpreting it from an African perspective. The album was nominated for an AFRIMA award in the category Best African Album in 2017

2. MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA – LIVE AT POLANA SERENA HOTEL (2015)

Recorded live at The Polana Hotel, Maputo, during the MoreJazz Series 4 concerts in August 2014, this album features Tlale Makhene, Ernest Dawkins and Isabel Novella. It was nominated for an AFRIMA award in the category Best African Album in 2016.

3.  SENSASONS (2014)

This is the end product of a very successful project run to highlight HIV/Aids awareness amongst the youth in Mozambique. The lyrics were prose and poetry written by school children and the music was written and performed by Moreira and young musicians from Maputo.

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4.  MP: RELOADED (2013)

This album is a remix of nine songs from The Moreira Project Vol. 1 – The Journey and The Moreira Project Vol. 2 – Citizen of the World. Having played with many DJ’s in South Africa, Moreira was interested in adding beats to his jazz music and seeing the results. The album was mixed at Paris Studios by Paris Zannos and Moreira Chonguica and mastered at Milestone Studios by Murray Anderson. This album was been nominated for a JPF award in the United States.

5.  KHANIMAMBO – MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA HOMENAGEIA LENDAS DE MOXAMBIQUE VOL. 1 (2011)

(MOREIRA CHONGUIÇA PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE LEGENDS OF MOZAMBIQUE VOL. 1)

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 10 featured artists on the album are all from different parts of Mozambique. Each artist sings in his or her mother tongue, introducing themselves at the beginning of each song. The instrumentalists were all from Cape Town. Moreira arranged all the songs 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 nominated for two SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS (SAMA) for BEST ENGINEER and BEST AFRICAN ADULT ALBUM

This album was produced by Moreira and honours these Mozambican musicians.

6.  THE MOREIRA PROJECT VOL. 2 – CITIZEN OF THE WORLD (2008)

Moreira 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 this, his second 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 who have contributed and added their unique sounds and passion to create an exceptional product. These include Lion of Africa – Manu Dibango, top American smooth-jazz artist, Najee, up and coming hip hop artist, Simba and well-known Mozambican/South African vocalist Jaco Maria.

The album was mixed in Cape Town and mastered by Phillipe Brun in Paris, France.

In 2009 This album was nominated for three SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC AWARDS (SAMA) for BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ, BEST PRODUCER and BEST ALBUM PACKAGING.

It won BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ and BEST ALBUM PACKAGING awards.

7.  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 an overwhelming response from the industry, as well as the media both locally and internationally. The album expresses not only his phenomenal song writing ability and energetic performances, but also his major personal coup in securing the support and talent of international jazz legend Najee on several tracks.

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 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 (SAMA) for BEST INSTRUMENTAL ALBUM, BEST CONTEMPORARY JAZZ ALBUM and BEST PRODUCER for Moreira Chonguiça and co-producer Mark Fransman.

The album won the award for BEST PRODUCER, an honour and acknowledgement for a debut album produced by an independent record label.

COMMUNITY WORK/SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PARTNERSHIPS

Moreira is strongly involved in the promotion of education.

When his first album was launched in his hometown of Maputo, he contributed to start a campaign to renovate the Escola Nacional de Musica (National School of Music), the school he attended as a youth.

He regularly makes time at the school, conducting workshops and involving the children in corporate functions he may be booked for. As Patron, he sees his role as a facilitator and has facilitated for the director of the school to work at an outreach programme at Tete, near Cahora Bassa.

He has been involved with the United Nations HIV/Aids agency in Maputo and wrote a song for World Aids Day in 2009 that was performed for the President of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza 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. In 2012, together with the John Hopkins University agency in Mozambique, Moreira as patron of a project called SensaSons, called for students to write poetry and prose about HIV/Aids. The authors of the Top 10 pieces chosen, were each given a small library of books from BCI, as well as having their pieces put to music by musicians chosen by Moreira. A concert was held with all the winners and the artists involved in March 2013. The songs were released on CD in 2014.

Moreira is also involved with the Central Prison of Maputo’s music programme where he encourages the inmates to use music as a vehicle of reform.

He works with the Ministry of Defence’s Musical programme and Military band as well as the Ministry of Police.

In 2014 Moreira founded the Morejazz Big Band, which take 20 young people from his music school and teaches them the rudimental skills of performing in a big band scenario. Their first performances were as the opening act of the Morejazz Series and since then they have become a regular feature at events in and around Maputo.

In 2018 through his association with Grupo Entreposto, he is working on spreading the message of road safety and the benefits of family planning.

PRODUCER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Apart from producing all his own albums The Moreira Project Vol. 1 – The Journey, Vol. 2 – Citizen of the World, Khanimambo, and MP Reloaded, Moreira has also produced to two top African singers namely AFRIKKANITHA (from Angola) – Ainda Sonho (2 songs) and SIMPIWE DANA (South Africa) – Kulture Noir (3 songs)

Moreira has also produced the opening sequences for conferences MOZEFO 2018 and the International Conference on Nature Based Tourism in 2018.

He has also been appointed to produce all the entertainment segments at the US/AFRICA Summit to be held in Maputo in June 2019.

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 select 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 Janeiro 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 Brazil for various events and concerts. He has also conducted a master class at the University of Brazilia.

 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).

 2009 - Moreira was also elected Cultural Personality of 2009 by Radio Moçambique.

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 5^th Entertainment and Education Conference in New Delhi to present his SensaSon project 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.

July 2012 – Moreira was appointed as a member of committee advising the Minister of Culture of Mozambique.

2013 – Moreira was awarded the seal of MADE IN MOZAMBIQUE – the first individual to be presented with this accolade.

2013/2014 – Moreira attended a number of world conferences, both as a performer and as a participant.

2014 – Moreira was voted Cultural Personality of the Year by the journalists of Mozambique’s largest daily newspaper, Noticias.

2015, 2016 and 2018 – Moreira was awarded SUPERBRAND status – the first individual in Mozambique to be awarded this accolade.

2016 – Moreira was awarded the ORDER OF MERIT by His Excellency, Dr Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, President of Portugal, for his contribution to jazz music in Mozambique.

2016 –The album Live at Polana Serena Hotel was nominated by AFRIMA (All African Music Awards) in the category of BEST AFRICAN ALBUM.

2017 – Moreira was voted Cultural Personality of the Year by the journalists of Noticias for a second time.

2017 – Moreira was voted Cultural Personality of the Year by national broadcaster Radio Moçambique.

2017 – The album M & M: Moreira Chonguica & Manu Dibango was nominated by AFRIMA (All African Music Awards) in the category of BEST AFRICAN ALBUM

2018 – Moreira was invited to be a member of the Kenjin-Tatsujin International Advisory Council representing Moçambique by Ashinaga, Japan. The purpose of the Ashinaga initiative is to provide education to orphaned African children.

2018 – Appointed by the province of Cabo Delgado as Patron of Cultural Tourism as a promoter for investment

  2019 – Moreira was presented with the Medal of Merit: Arts and Letters from the Governor of City of Maputo on behalf of the Mozambican Government for his contribution to this field in Mozambique.

  2019 – Invited by UNESCO to attend the International Jazz Day celebrations in Addis Ababa including performing with Dr Mulatu Astatke and the opening of the conference on World Press Freedom Day at the African Union Headquarters.                                                                  

FESTIVALS

Since 2005 Moreira has led his own band THE MOREIRA PROJECT which has played at most of Southern Africa’s top festivals namely:

v Reconciliation Day Concert: 2005

v Cape Town Jazzathon 2006

v Summer Concerts at Kirstenbosch 2006

v Cape Town International Jazz Festival 2006

v African Renaissance Festival 2006

v The Gito Baloyi tribute concert, Matola 2006

v Cape Town International 2007 as a special guest artist of Omar Sosa

v Grahamstown Jazz Festival 2007

v Joy of Jazz 2007

v Arts Alive Festival 2007 as part of Omar Sosa’s Black Team

v African Renaissance Festival 2006 & 2007

v Obz Festival 2007 and 2008

v Cape Town International 2008 as a special guest artist of Najee

v Inaugural Mozambican Jazz Festival 2008

v Old Mutual Encounters Jazz Festival in Windhoek in 2008

v Sauti za Busara Festival in Zanzibar in February 2009

v Cape Town Festival in March 2009

v Mozambican Jazz Festival April 2009

v International Mozambican Music Festival April 2009

v Italian/Mozambique jazz festival – October 2009

v HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts) – April 2010

v Grahamstown Jazz Festival – June 2010

v Fan Park, Cape Town – June 2010

v Reloaded Concert, Maputo – July 2010

v Ubuntu festival, Cape Town – July 2010

v Rocking the Daisies, Cape Town – October 2010

v Jazz and Blues Festival, Guaramiranga and Fortaleza, Brazil – March 2011

v Cape Town Festival – March 2011

v Luanda Jazz Festival – July 2011

v All Africa Games – September 2011

v Cape Town International Jazz Festival – March 2012

v MoreJazz Series 1 with Najee – April 2012

v Morejazz Series 2 with Manu Dibango and his band – August 2012

v Freedom Day Concert – Cape Town – April 2013

v Morejazz Series 3 with Jonathan Butler – August 2013

v MoreJazz Series 3 – Hugh Masekela – September 2013

v Morejazz Series 4 – with Angelique Kidjo – August 2014

v Cotai Jazz and Blues Festival = Macau – October 2014

v Kennedy Centre, Washington DC – March 2015

v Back2Black, Rio de Janiero – March 2015

v 40^th anniversary celebrations of Mozambican independence – Lisbon, Portugual June 2015

v 40^th anniversary celebrations of Mozambican independence – London, UK – July 2015

v Morejazz Series 5 – with Manu Dibango, Jonathan Butler and Mario Laginha – Oct 2015

v Joy of Jazz, Johannesburg 2016

v Morejazz Series 6 – with Omar Sosa and Judith Sephuma – October 2016

v Cape Town International Jazz Festival with Manu Dibango – March 2017

v African American Institute Gala dinner – Washington DC September 2017

v Africa Festival, Wutzburg, Germany – May 2018 with Manu Dibango

v Joy of Jazz, Johannesburg 2019

There are also numerous corporate, government and private events.

Moreira’s band comprises some of South and Southern Africa’s hottest young jazz musicians. He handpicks his band dependant on the event and occasion.

ADVERTISING

• Featured for Laurentina Premium produced by Ogilvy, Mozambique for Ceverjas de Mozambique (2008)
• Print and outdoor campaign for Vodacom Roaming produced by Golo, Mozambique (2010)
• Face of BCI’s new 2011 campaign – “Eu Sou Daqui” (I am from here!) (2011)
• Included in the new Vodacom video for summer (2011) by Golo Mozambique.
• Featuring in latest Vodacom Roaming campaign (2012)
• Numerous BCI campaigns (2013/2014/2015)
• Brand ambassador for BCI 2015/2016/2017
• Brand ambassador for Jeep Mozambique 2015/2016/2017
• Brand ambassador for Polana Serena Hotel 2015/2016
• Brand ambassador for Radisson Blu 2017/2018/2019
• Brand ambassador for Grupo Entreposto 2018/2019

DIRECTIONS