Maria's warm and soulful sounds captivate audiences in a musical breeze of swinging standards, Brazilian tunes, French songs and original music. Her spellbinding stage presence and storytelling will uplift your mind and brighten your day. Maria Solena is a vocalist, recording artist, composer and lyricist. A graduate of University of British Columbia, she has collaborated with international jazz greats and released four acclaimed albums: Where or When, Smile, As Time Goes By, and Yesterday and Tomorrow. Inspired by classic composers and lyricists from the Gershwins to Antonio Carlos Jobim, she continues to champion jazz as both an art form and a way of life. Her influences include Nat King Cole, Nancy Wilson, Julie London and Shirley Horn. Maria has performed in Italy, Las Vegas, Denver and California. After performing in Italy, Maria was invited to Las Vegas to appear on a syndicated program after a show host discovered her music. Maria has written a number of original compositions and has worked with arrangers Torben Oxbol, Fred Stride, Allan Rodger and Miles Black. There is a delicate elegance to Solena’s nostalgic songs; it bubbles to the surface on “Before The Night Is Done” and the Latin-tinged “Hold Me Tight. “She demonstrates her ability to merge an unhurried, tasteful approach with contemporary flair, creating arrangements that feel both classic and refreshingly modern. Light without being insubstantial, soulful, romantic and full of genuine promise. ~ All About Jazz Maria’s personality and delivery on recordings and in person has that special honest dimension. She builds a believable story making the lyrics her own, while transporting me back in time to the romantic period when pen set to paper in creating these songs that we all revere. ~ Michael K. Leader, EMMY Award Winning Recording Engineer, NBC Television New York and BBC Television London Joining Maria Solena on stage: Michael Creber, piano, Conrad Good, bass, Dave Say, sax and Buff Allen, drums.