With a career spanning over 40 years, Mário Laginha is best known for his connection to the jazz world. But his music is much more than that, drawing inspiration from Brazilian, Indian, and African sounds, as well as pop, rock, and the classical roots that shaped his training.
Mário Laginha has combined a strong musical identity with a great desire to share his art with other musicians and creators. Notably, with singer Maria João, with whom he has recorded over a dozen albums, and, of course, the musicians in his two trios: Bernardo Moreira (double bass) and Alexandre Frazão (drums) from the Mário Laginha Trio; Julian Argüelles (saxophone) and Helge Norbakken (percussion) from the LAN Trio.
At the end of the 1980s, he established a regular partnership with pianist Pedro Burmester. This duo was expanded in 2007 to include Bernardo Sassetti in the 3Pianos project. Until Sassetti’s untimely passing, he was also a collaborator and close companion of Laginha in numerous concerts.
With a solid classical background, Mário Laginha has composed for a wide range of ensembles, including the Hamburg Radio Big Band, the Frankfurt Radio Big Band, the Hanover Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra, the Remix Ensemble, the Drumming Percussion Group, and the Porto Symphony Orchestra. On stage or in the studio, he has performed with musicians such as Wolfgang Muthspiel, Trilok Gurtu, Gilberto Gil, Lenine, Armando Marçal, Hamilton de Holanda, Ralph Towner, Manu Katché, Dino Saluzzi, Kai Eckhardt, Julian Argüelles, Steve Argüelles, Howard Johnson, and Django Bates, among others. Additionally, Laginha also composes for cinema and theatre.
In December 2024, Mário Laginha was the featured artist for Berklee’s Spotlight Series, which pays tribute to a selected artist each semester.
full bio
A free musician
Mário Laginha is a musician. Any label we try to attach to him falls short. He is a jazz musician, but not only that. He is a Portuguese musician, but so much more. The rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic diversity he brings to his compositions and performances is the expression of a truly unique personality. If one word were to define him as an artist, it would be freedom—a fitting coincidence, as he was born on April 25, 1960, a date synonymous with liberty in Portugal. His music is boundlessly free, effortlessly blending elements from diverse origins, crossing the boundaries of musical styles, and merging scholarly and vernacular vocabularies.
One moment, you might see him alongside Pedro Burmester, performing 20th-century classical composers and playing his own piano concerto, and the next, he’s collaborating with Camané, adding his distinctive language to fado.
This kaleidoscopic character of his work leaves an indelible mark on Portuguese culture, extending far beyond its borders. His international journey has been shaped by collaborations with artists like Wayne Shorter, Ralph Towner, Manu Katché, Trilok Gurtu, Laureen Newton, Gilberto Gil, Lenine, Julian and Steve Argüelles, Christof Lauer, Howard Johnson, Lou Donaldson, Al Grey, Dino Saluzzi, and Kai Eckhardt, among others.
Jazz’s sense of freedom was what first captivated him, sparked by his discovery of Keith Jarrett’s music at the age of 17. This turning point brought him back to music and the piano after a brief teenage hiatus. He graduated from the National Conservatory with top honors in piano, studying under Jorge Moyano and Carla Seixas—not to pursue a classical pianist career, but to hone his technique.
During his studies, Laginha spent countless afternoons in Lisbon’s Buchholz bookstore and record shop, immersing himself in African traditional music. These rhythms would later infuse nearly all his work.
The duo he formed with singer Maria João grew from these roots. Together, they built a unique musical legacy, blending influences and geographies over what might best be described as a sense of Portuguese identity (easier to recognize than to define). Albums like Cor and Chorinho Feliz, both commissions for the National Commission for the Commemoration of Portuguese Discoveries, were milestones in their collaboration. Cor explored sounds from the Indian Ocean, featuring Trilok Gurtu on percussion and Wolfgang Muthspiel on guitar. Chorinho Feliz embraced Brazilian rhythms, with contributions from Gilberto Gil, Lenine, Toninho Horta, and Nico Assumpção.
The duo’s first collaboration was in 1983, when Laginha joined the Maria João Quintet. They recorded two albums, Quinteto de Maria João (1983) and Cem Caminhos (1985).
Laginha then ventured into other directions, co-founding the Lisbon Jazz Sextet. This group played prestigious festivals like the Edinburgh International Jazz Festival, Brecon Jazz Festival, The Maltings Proms, Barcelona Arts Biennial, and the Cascais Jazz Festival. In 1987, he formed the Mário Laginha Decateto, performing at the Gulbenkian Foundation’s “Jazz em Agosto” festival with original compositions. That same year, he was named Portugal’s best jazz musician by critics. His first solo album, Hoje (1994), featured Julian Argüelles, Sérgio Pelágio, Bernardo Moreira, and Alexandre Frazão—the latter two still form the backbone of the Mário Laginha Trio.
Laginha reunited with Maria João for Sol (1992), recorded with the German label Enja and featuring the Cal Viva group. Over the years, their names became nearly inseparable. Their album Danças (1994), featuring only piano and voice, was their first release under the prestigious Verve label. They followed this with Fábula (1996), collaborating with Manu Katché, Ralph Towner, and Dino Saluzzi.
Among their 14 albums together, Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes (1999) stands out, blending orchestral arrangements and classical heritage. Recorded with the Hanover Philharmonic Orchestra under Arild Remmereit, it earned critical and public acclaim.
Laginha’s orchestral endeavors expanded further with pieces like Mãos na Pedra Olhos no Céu (2001), commissioned for Porto’s European Capital of Culture celebrations, and Até aos Ossos (2005), composed for the Remix Ensemble. His piano concerto debuted at the Algarve International Music Festival in 2009, and his clarinet concerto premiered in 2012 for Guimarães European Capital of Culture.
Laginha has long been at home on “classical” stages. His duo with Pedro Burmester spans over 30 years, performing 20th-century composers like Ravel and Copland. In 2024, they celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with a program of revolutionary themes and a commissioned work by Luís Tinoco.
Another key partnership was with Bernardo Sassetti, beginning in 1999 and producing the album Mário Laginha e Bernardo Sassetti (2003) and Grândolas (2004), commemorating the Carnation Revolution. They later joined forces with Pedro Burmester for 3 Pianos (2007).
Laginha’s jazz journey has evolved with two trios. The Mário Laginha Trio, featuring Bernardo Moreira and Alexandre Frazão, has released Espaço (2007), Mongrel (2010), and Jangada (2022). The LAN Trio, with Julian Argüelles and Helge Norbakken, has two albums, Setembro (2018) and Atlântico (2020).
His collaborations extend to fado with Camané, resulting in Aqui Está-se Sossegado (2019), nominated for the 2020 Latin Grammys and winner of the Play Portuguese Music Awards.
Laginha’s curiosity for other arts has led to film scores, earning him three Sophia Awards, and theater collaborations with directors like Tiago Rodrigues and Ricardo Pais. He’s worked with choreographers, illustrators, and writers, bringing his music to unexpected forms of expression.
Since 2013, he has been the artistic director of the Loulé Jazz Festival.
Awards
2022 Sophia Awards – Best Original Score for the film Campo de Sangue.
2021 Sophia Award – Best Original Score for the film Ordem Moral.
2020 PLAY – Portuguese Music Awards for the album Aqui Está-se Sossegado (with Camané).
2020 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Portuguese Language Roots Album for Aqui Está-se Sossegado (with Camané). Latin Grammy Awards
2019 Latin Grammy nomination for Best Portuguese Language Song for “Sem Palavras” (lyrics by João Monge, performed by António Zambujo). Feel Portugal
2017 Sophia Awards – Best Original Score for the film Cinzento e Negro.
2011 Victoire du Jazz Award for the album Follow the Songlines.
2007 Carlos Paredes Award.
2006 Grande Prémio SPA-Millennium BCP.
1990 Awards for Best Composition, Best Instrumentalist, and Best Group (for his quartet) at the Jazz and Improvised Music Competition organized by the Portuguese Secretariat of State for Youth. Up.pt
1989: Finalist in the Martial Solal International Jazz Piano Competition. Up.pt
Additionally, he has been honored twice with the rank of Officer of the Order of Prince Henry (Ordem Infante D. Henrique) in 1995 and 2006
