Jorge Ferreira

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Jorge Ferreira

Background information
Birth name Jorge Oliveira Ferreira
Born February 5, 1955 (1955-02-05) (age 53)
Ajuda da Bretanha, São Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal
Origin Fall River, Massachusetts
Genre(s) World music
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, producer
Instrument(s) Vocals, accordion, concertina, trumpet, keyboards, harmonica, drums, percussions
Years active 1972–present
Label(s) Metro-Som, Radio Triunfo, Movieplay Portuguesa, DiscoNorte, Ovação, Espacial, Henda Records, Portuguese Music World, Ruiz Sr. Import C.A.
Website jorgeferreira.com

Jorge Oliveira Ferreira (born February 5, 1955) is a Portuguese American singer-songwriter who lives in Massachusetts. According to New Bedford's Standard-Times, he is among the top 20 artists in Portugal and has had dozens of gold and platinum albums in Portugal.[1][unreliable source?] Although he sings primarily in Portuguese, he relies on an English-Portuguese dictionary to write his lyrics. He draws from various musical styles, including country, rock, pop, reggae, dance, Latin music, American folk, fado, and Portuguese folk. His two daughters, Alison and Elizabeth Marie, sing and his son, Jordan, plays guitar. All three children have performed and recorded with their father on numerous occasions. Ferreira has released albums on a more-or-less annual basis since 1980. He started his own record company, Portuguese Music World, in 1996; since 2004 it has also represented the Portuguese record labels Vidisco and Espacial in the US and Canada.[2]

Contents

[edit] Bio

Born in Ajuda da Bretanha, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island (Azores, Portugal) to Francisco and Maria Rosa Ferreira,[3] he showed an interest in music at an early age and was registered at a local philharmonic band. At the age of 7, he played trumpet and harmonica, later learning to play accordion. At the age of 12, Jorge immigrated with his parents to Fall River, Massachusetts. His five brothers remained behind, later joining the rest of the family in America. In his teens and into his twenties he played in various bands like Banda de Nossa Senhora da Luz and Conjunto Venus, performing at weddings and local clubs, and releasing self-published singles and an LP.

In 1980, Ferreira released his debut album, Amar Como Jesus Amou (To Love Like Jesus Loved) on Henda Records & Videos in America and Metro-Som in Portugal. After being dropped by Metro-Som, Ferreira signed a new deal in Portugal with Radio Triunfo Internacional and in 1983 released his second album, Viva Fall River (Live Fall River); the title song is a hit in Portugal.[1][unreliable source?]

Ferreira continued to release albums and in 1988, moved to Westport, Massachusetts, building a recording studio in his basement.

In 1990, Ferreira released his first CD, Olhos Verdes (Green Eyes), and performed at the Standard Bank Arena in Johannesburg, South Africa. He made his first music videos in 1992 and in 1995, Ferreira was named the Portuguese Business Association's Man of the Year.[4] That same year, he released Prova de Amor (Proof of Love), with Donovan Bettencourt (later of the band Mourning Widows) on bass.

In 1996, Ferreira started his own record company, Portuguese Music World and began producing other artists. His album A Portuguesa É a Mais Linda (The Portuguese Woman Is Most Beautiful), released that year, consists of songs written by his daughters Alison and Elizabeth Marie.

Ferreira released his first DVD, Viagens (Travels), in 2005. Also that year, he performed at the Katrina Event Benefit Concert in Swansea, Massachusetts, which grossed over $34,000 for the American Red Cross.[5]

In 2007, Ferreira released a live DVD, Ao Vivo em Ponte da Barca (Live in Ponte da Barca), recorded the previous year during his Portuguese Summer tour.

Ferreira releases albums and performs regularly, with shows booked in Europe, North and South America throughout 2008.[6]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Compilations and live albums

  • 20 Canções - 20 Sucessos (20 Songs - 20 Successes) (1984)
  • Album de Recordações (Album of Memories) (1985)
  • Ao Vivo Vol. 1 (Live Vol. 1) (1991)
  • O Melhor De (The Best Of) (1993)
  • Super Êxitos Vol. 1 (Super Hits Vol. 1) (1995)
  • Cantor dos Emigrantes Vol. 1 (Singer of the Emigrants Vol. 1) (1995/2001)
  • Super Êxitos Vol. 2 (Super Hits Vol. 2) (1996)
  • Cantor dos Emigrantes Vol. 2 (Singer of the Emigrants Vol. 2) (1998)
  • Super Êxitos Vol. 3 (Super Hits Vol. 3) (1998)
  • ...De Coleccion (...Of Collection) (2000, released in South America)
  • Antologia Sucessos 1983–1988 (Anthology Successes 1983–1988) (2004)
  • Êxitos (Hits) (2006)
  • Cantor dos Emigrantes Vol. 3 (Singer of the Emigrants Vol. 3) (2007)

[edit] Singles

  • "Viva Fall River" (1983)
  • "Viva Viva New Bedford" (1983)
  • "Chau" / "Canção Das Crianças" (1984)
  • "O Sol Ainda Está Fora" / "Carta Aos Meus Amiguinhos" (with Alison Ferreira) (1986)
  • "Este Natal Santo" (digital download, 2007)

[edit] Appearances in musical projects

  • AUA (Artistas Unidos da América) — Amor & Paz (1987) (song: "Amor e a Paz")
  • Amy Rome — Angel (1995) (song: Key to Your Heart)
    • This same song is also included in Ferreira's album Prova De Amor as "If I Had the Key".
  • Fernando Correia Marques — Bandalheira Total (Total Shamelessness) (1996) (songs: "A Bandalheira Total", "A Pica Que Doi", "Perfume De Matulão", "O Fax Do Amor", "Esse Anel Que Te Deram")
  • Mãe Querida (Dear Mother) compilation (1996) (song: "Ilha Mãe")
  • Liz Marie — Liz Marie (1997) (song: "Da-me Um Beijinho"—backing vocals)
  • Jorge Pereira — O Melhor De (The Best Of) (1999) (song: "Mulata Africana"—backing vocals)
  • Carlos Kanto — Mágico (Magic) (2002) (song: "Somos Iguais, Somos Irmãos")
    • This song is also included in Ferreira's album Como Este Mundo Mudou.
  • Inéditos! (Unpublished!) compilation (2006) (song: "Agua Mole")
  • Jessica Amaro — Para Vocês (For You) (2007) (song: "Ceia Do Emigrante")

[edit] Videography

[edit] DVDs and video cassettes

  • Jorge Ferreira (1999)
  • Cantor Dos Emigrantes (2001, released in South America)
  • Viagens (2005)
  • Vozes da Saudade (Voices of the Nostalgia) (2006, released in South America)
  • Ao Vivo em Ponte da Barca (2007)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "A pop king sings for charity", Ric Oliveira, The Standard-Times, December 8, 1996.
  2. ^ PMW biography at Portuguese Music World About Us webpage.
  3. ^ Biography at JorgeFerreira.com.
  4. ^ "'Saturday Night Fever' adds 'Viva'", Ric Oliveira, The Standard-Times, March 31, 1996.
  5. ^ Main page at Katrina Event Benefit Concert official website.
  6. ^ Scheduled shows at JorgeFerreira.com.

[edit] External links