BIO

In the modern world full of political disunity and economic tension, speed and noise of large cities, it is so important to relax, to feel harmony and unity!

Samba de Maria is a project made of bossa-nova melodies and rhythms which make people all over the world either relax or dance, either feel light melancholy or childhood joy with magic sounds of ocean waves and Brazilian carnival…

Samba de Maria is a band of professional musicians from St. Petersburg, Russia. They have fans in Brazil, Japan, USA, Finland, Russia. The musicians combine live authentic sound of sensuous bossa-nova in Portuguese language with the passion of modern polyrhythmic improvisations. The band plays the most brilliant bossa-nova songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Jorge Ben Jor, Luiz Bonfaand other famous Brazilian composers in modern arrangements fulfilled with hot rhythms of samba, funk, swing, jazz-fusion as well as their own bossa-nova compositions.

Maria Ilina – is a professional jazz singer, laureate of many festivals and vocal contests, Leader vocalist and soul of Samba de Maria band. Maria is a Russian singer with real Brazilian soul. She is unique songwriter in Russia who composes bossa-nova songs in Portuguese language.

Maxim Shishaev - is a professional jazz guitarist, composer, laureate of David Goloschekin’s jazz contest (Saint -Petersburg). Maxim has his own romantic style in jazz improvisation and he is the author of all the arrangements of Samba de Maria.

Vladimir Shalnev - is a professional bass and double-bass player who works in well-known jazz and classical music bands in Russia

Yoel Gonzalez - is a famous Cuban percussionist, one of the best percussionist of the World (top-100 world rating), he participated in many native and international projects, organized several ensembles aligned to perform Afro-Cuban dance music.