Biography
Biography

Lisa Ono

Lisa OnoBorn in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lisa Ono spent her childhood in Brazil until she became 10 years old. She started singing and playing the guitar when she was 15 years old, and her debut as a professional Bossa Nova singer was in 1989. Her natural voice, rhythmic guitar playing, and her charming smile led her to a huge success and helped Bossa Nova to be popular in Japan. She has performed with many top musicians such as the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim, the Jazz Samba giant Joao Donato, and has been performing enthusiastically in New York, Brazil and Asian countries. The album “Dream”, which was released in 1999, sold more than 2 hundred thousand copies in Japan, and since than she has established a determined position in the Japanese Bossa Nova community.

1989
◆February: her first single You’re so unique from MIDI was released, which was a commercial jingle of Max Factor.
◆July: her first album Catupiry, which was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, was released.
◆October: Hoshi no sampo was released as a single from her debut album. This song was a commercial jingle for Sapporo wine “Borreru”, and became popular.

1990
◆April: her 2nd album Nanã, which was also recorded in Rio de Janeiro, was released.
◆May: her first nationwide tour in Japan started.
◆October: her 2nd nationwide tour in Japan started, with Doris Monteiro, Joni Alf, and Marsar, as guest artists from Brazil.
◆December: she performed at the John Lennon 50th anniversary concert which was held at Tokyo Dome.

1991
◆March: her 2nd album Nana received the Japan Gold Disc Award.
◆July: her 3rd album Menina, which was recorded in Rio de Janeiro and single Clea was released from BMG Victor.
◆September: Menina was released in the U.S.A. from BMG US Latin section.

1992
◆This year, Lisa established her own label “Nana label”, and started to introduce fine Brazilian music to Japan with passion. Also, she published her first photo and essay book Felicidade from Jyoho center.
◆January: her first radio program “Serenata Carioca” of Bay-FM started.
◆March: Menina won the Japan Gold Disc Award.
◆April: her 1st VHS Menina Concert was released. The single Flor Do Campo was used as a commercial jingle for Shiseido.
◆April to March: her first Japanese song Taiyo no kodomo tachi was on aired by NHK’s national kids program “Minnna no uta”.
◆June: her 4th Album Serenata Carioca, which was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, L.A., and Tokyo, was released.
◆November: VHS Peace Bossa was released. This collaboration of scenes from Amazon and Rio de Janeiro , and Lisa's music, was produced by Hiroyuki Nakano.

1993
◆January: her 5th album Namorada, which was recorded in Tokyo, was released. She also performed 36 concerts at the Blue Note Tokyo, Osaka, and Fukuoka.
◆February: she had her first performance at N.Y.

1994
◆June: her 6th album Esperança was released. This album was recorded with the top artists including the legendary Antonio Carlos Jobim in Rio de Janeiro.
◆October: she had a performance at Sweet Basil in N.Y.

1995
◆April: her 7th album Minha Saudade, which was produced with Joao Donato was released. This was also recorded in Rio de Janeiro.
◆June: with Joao Donato, she toured Japan and also performed at Rio, Sao Paulo and scored a great success.

1996
◆June: her 8 th album Rio Bossa , which was recorded in Rio de Janeiro , was released.

1997
◆September: her 9th album Essência, which was recorded in N.Y., and single Shi a wa se was released and scored a hit. In this album she recorded various songs such as a cover of the Beatles’ number.

1998
◆July: her 10th album Bossa Carioca, which was recorded in Rio de Janeiro, was released in Japan, and also Hong-Kong. This album was a tribute to the 40th anniversary of Bossa Nova music. She invited Paolo & Daniel Jobim, who are the son and the grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim, as guest musicians.

1999
◆July: her 11th album Dreamwas released. This album was recorded in L.A., with the leader of Bossa Nova, Oscar Castro-Neves. Good old American classic numbers which were born before Bossa Nova were selected for this album. From this album, “Moonlight Serenade” was used as a commercial jingle for Mitsubishi “Pajero-io.” This album sold more than 2 hundred million copies, and was released in Hong-Kong, Taiwan and became popular.

2000
◆July: her 12th album Pretty World, which was recorded in N.Y., was released. This album included not only Bossa Nova numbers but numbers from pop music, became a best-seller. In Taiwan, she had her first promotion performance in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. She also received a Gold Disc in Taiwan. From this album, her album releases in over seas such as Hong-Kong, Taiwan, China, and Korea became more active.
◆November: her first Christmas album Boas Festas was released. This album was recorded in Tokyo.。

2001
◆July: her 13th album Bossa Hula Nova was released. This album’s concept was “Bossa Nova” and “Hawaii”, since she had performed with Teresa Bright, who is a top singer in Hawaii.

2002
◆July: her 14th album’s concept was “Italy”, and was titled Questa Bossa Mia… This album was released in all areas of Asia (Hong-Kong, Taiwan, China, Korea, Malaysia, Thai, Singapore, and Philippines), and establishes a solid position as a Bossa Nova singer.

2003
◆July: her 15th album Dans Monîle was released. This album’s concept was “France”, and she collaborated with the leader of French Nouvelle Pop for more than 70 years, Henri Salvador.

2004
◆July: her 16th album Naima – Meu Anjo – was released. This album’s concept was “Middle East & Africa.” Romero Lubambo who is a Brazilian Guitarist was invited as a guest musician.
◆November: her 2 nd Christmas album Boas Festas 2 – Feliz Natal – was released. Oscar Castro-Neves, Romero Lubambo, and Toninho Horta recorded with Lisa as guest artists.

2005
◆June: Lisa started her tour to Mexico and Cuba with her new concept “Latin.” Her Latin trilogy Romance Latino Vol.1-3 was released in 3 months. Each album has a theme and they are “Sophisticate / Estilo”, “Romantico”, “Caliente.”
◆November: she had her 3rd performance in Taiwan, and also performed in Singapore and Korea for the first time. She performed Bossa Nova classics and jazz standard numbers, and also sang local songs in their native language. Not only Japan, but the local media also reported this news and the performance was a great success. In Taiwan, her Latin trilogy won a gold disc.

2006
◆February: her 17 th album Romance Latino Vol.1 , which was released in 2005, won the Japan Gold Disc Award “The Best Jazz Album Of The Year.”
◆July: her 20 th album Jamabalaya – Bossa Americana - was released.

2007
◆February: her 20th album Jamabalaya – Bossa Americana- won a platinum disc in Taiwan. Also, this album was the best-seller of the Jazz album ranking for 6 months, and was in the top 10 of the international chart for more than 6 months. This ranking was made by “KK BOX”, which is the largest music news website, and at the “KK BOX Digital Music Awards”, Jamabalaya – Bossa Americana- won “The Best International Album of the Year.” In Japan, she received the Japan Gold Disc Award “The Best Jazz Album Of The Year” again.
◆March: she performed at the “Java Jazz Festival 2007” in Jakarta. This was her first performance in Indonesia but many fans came to see her performance, and at the end of the stage they gave an enthusiastic standing ovation.
◆June: she performed at the “2007 Shanghai Jazzy”, as an opening act for the Shanghai jazz week. This was her first performance in Shanghai but all tickets of her 2 performances were sold out.
◆July: her 21st album Soul & Bossa was released. This album was recorded Bill Cantos, who also performed in the last album. The theme of this album is “soul music.”
◆August: to celebrate the 80th year from Antonio Carlos Jobim’s birth, she invited Paolo & Daniel Jobim, who are the son and the grandson of Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Miucha, who was a great friend of Antonio, and performed at Hibiya. This concert’s title was “Sunset Bossa – Tribute to Antonio Carlos Jobim - .”
◆October: her DVD Lisa Ono 2007 Sunset Bossa – Tribute to Antonia Carlos Jobim – was released. This DVD includes the footage of the tribute concert in August.
◆November: her 22 nd album The Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim “Ipanema” was released. The Jobim family, Paolo & Daniel Jobim, and Miucha also performed in this recording.

2009
◆From January to April: her Asian tour from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei, to Bangkok was held.
◆March 4th: her 2 new albums, Cheek To Cheek – Jazz Standards from RIO – and Look To The Rainbow – Jazz Standards from L.A. – were released at the same time. Both albums’ theme is Jazz music, and features arrangers from Brazil and Los Angeles.
◆From May: Lisa Ono Concert Tour 2009 – Jazz Standards -, a tour to celebrate her two new albums, has started.

Copyright (C) 2010 Lisa Ono All Rights Reserved.