Josee Koning is no doubt the most Brazilian vocalist of all Dutch singers. In the eighties she created a furore with the Brazilian fusion formation Batida, a band that released three unique albums and toured in and outside Holland. In 1993 one of Koning’s long time dreams was full filled: in Rio de Janeiro she meets Antonio Carlos Jobim, the father of the Bossa Nova. Koning: ”Finally I met Tom and I heard him play on his own piano. To call this an emotional experience would be an understatement.” Josee decides to record a Jobim Songbook and asks Jobim if he wants to collaborate. The album wouldn’t see the daylight: Jobim passes away on the 8th of December 1994. Meanwhile Koning has started a musical partnership with the Brazilian superstar Ivan Lins, a man who doesn’t only compose for her, but also sings on her records.
