Maria João and Mário Laginha are a duo of unusual complicity. The outcome of this collaboration, besides a number of live performances all over the world, are the six albums they recorded for Universal: Danças, Fábula, Cor, Lobos, Raposas e Coiotes, Chorinho Feliz, and Mumadji a live recording. Maria was born in Lisbon, she started her musical career at the Jazz school of the Hot Club de Lisboa.

She was a member of the school's Big Band and during the year she attended the school she formed her own band with whom she recorded two albums. She won several awards including the first prize at the San Sebastian Jazz Festival. Besides the activity with her own band she established with Aki Takase one of the most innovative duos of the 80's, one that toured the world to public and critical acclaim.