Tania Maria performance At Fez Festival 2007

Over at Bab Makina, they were still setting up stage for the Tania Maria performance and the audience was already about half full. A shiny black Yamaha grand piano took up the left half of the stage and an array of drums and percussion instruments occupied the right. Center stage was the bass guitar. The set-up promised a lively evening of music.

Tania Maria is Brazilian-born pianist and singer from a musical family and had the good fortune to find her calling at the early age of 7. She went right to work in the club circuit shortly after finishing her formal education and made a name for herself in both the US and South America.

She came on stage in a bright green caftan, wearing dark sunglasses. Her style is distinctively swing jazz with latino elements and she had the audience applauding already in the very first number. Throughout the night she attempted to engage us with simple lines like, "o ah ee ahyaho" - breathe, hold, think - "oo wah oo wah oo wah", but after three tries our weak efforts were only laughable. Still, we were clearly ready to have a good time. She tried a few more times and we did clap in rhythm and finally get one our lines right. All in all, it was fun and ended with a standing ovation and an encore by the group.

The week of the festival in Fez is so enjoyable because each and every evening presents the chance to go out and find quality entertainment in a variety of venues. Fez Encounters and the Cafe Litteraire are a bonus with the interesting and informed lecturers hosting forums on a variety of timely topics. It's a week not to be missed!