I Know - Bianca Morales

Bianca Morales was born in Helsinki, Finland, the product of a Cuban father and Swedish-speaking Finnish mother. Her musician father, Miguel Morales toured as a singer and conga player in the 1950´s and 1960´s with bands like Perez Prado and Los Paraguayos. From him came Bianca’s musical talent and exotic features. From her Scandinavian mother came her famous Finnish "sisu" (guts, a.k.a. chutzpa) which is what has taken her to great achievements for over 25 years in the biz!

Starting at the age of fourteen, Bianca sang jazz standards and made her first recordings with The Grani Big Band in Finland. Her actual professional career kicked off in 1984 when, at the age of eighteen, she won first place in the "Spring Tune" contest of Mainos-TV (national network television channel in Finland) with a reggae tune entitled "Our Party," which was the title song to the album of the same name. Bianca co-wrote some very funky original dance music for the remainder of this album, which was released immediately and within two years, she was touring Finland with her new band FF (Fast Forward). The success of this groundbreaking album, since it contained songs sung in English by a Finnish artist, was extraordinary in Finland for that time. Her international career took off when she represented Finland in a live concert on Music Box (today known as MTV Europe).

Stage Productions

In addition to other appearances (jazz festivals, big band concerts and more) and recording activities, in 2005-2006 Bianca starred in the sold-out Broadway Musical Hairspray at Helsinki City Theater as Lorraine and understudy for Motormouth.

Starting in December 1999, ongoing until the end of April 2000, she starred in a musical play called "The 20th Century Blues" (1900-musikalet in Swedish) at the Swedish Theater in Helsinki. Bianca starred as Josephine Baker in the musical play "S/S Andania - a Boat that Brought Jazz to Finland." YLE TV 1 aired the production on a Saturday in prime time in January of 1997. In November 1999, she starred in the Broadway Musical "Godspell" at the Savoy Theater in Helsinki, and in May 2000, at Hamina Bastion Stage.

Discography

- 2007 Beem Records, "When in Rome" the English version of "Unelmaloma Roomassa"-CD with UMO Jazz Orchestra and BEEM Jazz Combo. The CD was released in January 2007.

- 2005, "Gospel- ja Joulukonsertti"-CD, Gospel and Christmas songs performed by Viihdekuoro Kehrät and Bianca Morales

- 2005 Beem Records, "Yhteinen Maailmamme"- children's music edutainment CD including all the 14 original theme songs from "Save The Animals, Save The Earth"- music video series. This album was co-produced with WWF Finland.

- 2004, Jaso "Kosketa minua Henki"- gospel album with Bianca Morales, The Jazz Society Big Band and the a cappella group "Fantastic Four"

- 2003, Beem Records "Unelmaloma Roomassa", jazz album with UMO Jazz Orchestra and Beem Jazz Combo

- 2000, Beem Records "Iґve been dreaminґ..." pop-latin-jazz-groove

- 1996, Tatsia-Musiikki "Säästämme luontoa, suojelemme eläimiä" children's music edutainment album "Save the Animals, Save the Earth"

- 1991, Base-Beat "The Nearness of You" a jazz standard album with Bianca Morales & Markku Johansson Sextet

LP:s

- 1984, Polarvox "Our Party" all original music sung in English by Bianca and her funky band called the FF band (Fast Forward)

- 1981, Grani Big Band ry, "Cavalcade" jazz album with Grani Big. Bianca's first album recorded when Bianca at age 14.
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