In My Garden – Melissa Oliveira

Born in Australia but moving to Portugal at a young age, Melissa Oliveira has been studying and making music since she was a teenager. Her Portuguese identity has influenced her music and her debut album is an interesting jazz fusion, combining Melissa’s smooth vocals, Portuguese guitar and electronic music.

Coming from a classical music background, her interest in jazz has become a passion and further study and work has drawn her into the world of experimentation and innovation that her music currently sits in. In 2007 she was accepted at ESMAE – a College of Music in Porto, Portugal – in jazz (voice). In 2009 she was awarded a scholarship to study at the Berklee College of Music. In 2011 she was accepted at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague to pursue a master’s degree in jazz performance and completed it in 2013.

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In My Garden was recorded in Boston with special guests Greg Osby and Jason Palmer, in addition to Oliveira’s usual ensemble. The mix of sounds is as eclectic as it is engaging, managing to incorporate the Portuguese guitar, a traditionally classical instrument, with jazz instruments and singing as well as electronic instruments, into a seamless and very natural combination.Most of the songs on this debut album are originals, playing to Oliveira’s strengths, showcasing her sultry voice and scat passages, as well as effortlessly flipping between English and Portuguese. Standout tracks include the second song, an original arrangement of a poem by Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, featuring Greg Osby with a wonderful Saxophone piece and an entertaining ending with Oliveira’s rapid-fire scat singing.

In My Garden is an impressive debut and well worth a listen for fans of jazz and world music alike.