2016, August 26, I've received the following message:
«Dear Rato,
I’m 77 years old, and still looking for some music of my youth. There are unfortunaly some artists exausted from memory of many people. I remember and looking for a long time to find Maria Zamora & Tom Kelling. Regardless she was Holland singer, her sudamerican songs performances were very nice and atractive for listening. Her recordings were excusively made at Philips Records Company. I cannot belive that today no people remembering of this great singer. I frequently ask myself: where are her records? Because of that I’m looking for somebody having more possibilities to find and post her records. Perhaps You can do something more then I do. I’d be greatly appreciated if you can find some her albums.
Best regards,
Srboljub Milicevic from Belgrade»
Well, I didn't knew Mrs. Zamora at all. But I've searched a little in the net, and I've found this double CD from Holland, with 40 tracks, called "De onvergetelijke", which means "The Unforgettable". I bought it and the mail man delivered it to my door. Well, Mr. Milicevic, I hope you'll be very pleased to find the songs of Maria Zamora here now, in Rato Records. And I've found also some notes about her:
«Dear Rato,
I’m 77 years old, and still looking for some music of my youth. There are unfortunaly some artists exausted from memory of many people. I remember and looking for a long time to find Maria Zamora & Tom Kelling. Regardless she was Holland singer, her sudamerican songs performances were very nice and atractive for listening. Her recordings were excusively made at Philips Records Company. I cannot belive that today no people remembering of this great singer. I frequently ask myself: where are her records? Because of that I’m looking for somebody having more possibilities to find and post her records. Perhaps You can do something more then I do. I’d be greatly appreciated if you can find some her albums.
Best regards,
Srboljub Milicevic from Belgrade»
Well, I didn't knew Mrs. Zamora at all. But I've searched a little in the net, and I've found this double CD from Holland, with 40 tracks, called "De onvergetelijke", which means "The Unforgettable". I bought it and the mail man delivered it to my door. Well, Mr. Milicevic, I hope you'll be very pleased to find the songs of Maria Zamora here now, in Rato Records. And I've found also some notes about her:
Maria Zamora was the stage name of singer Jill Jansen (Amsterdam, May 8, 1923 - Purmerend, November 9, 1996). She was very successful with its South American repertoire in the 50s. She was born Jill Jones, an older sister of Rika Jansen. Already at the age of approximately 13 years she sang songs in Moeskops Café in Amsterdam Warmoesstraat. Later in Café van Klaveren (corner Weteringschans / Frederiksplein) in the Cabaret of the Unknowns. She was 16 years old when started dating Toby Rix (Tobias Gaps). With him and Bob Geskus she formed a trio: "The Young Rambling Cowboys". During the war they got problems with the Germans and switched their repertoire to South American and Spanish songs. They also changed their name to "Los Magelas". Later, a new boyfriend, called Gerard Hulscher, introduced Maria to the orchestra of Ernst Van 't Hoff. Soon she was performing with the Phenomenal Radio Dance Orchestra, and in 1942 they performed at the Concertgebouw and Carre. They mostly used the South American and Spanish songs, but sometimes also the Dutch repertoire. Her name was then changed to Maria Zamora (Zamora was the keeper of the Spanish football team of that time).
When she met her future husband, orchestra conducter Andre Smit (former stage name Andreas Ferreira) in 1944, the situation in the Netherlands was so bad that the orchestra was disbanded. In 1949 Smit formed his own orchestra which was operating under the name Maria Zamora and its South American Orchestra. Followed success, "Mamá el Baión" (from 1955) became an international hit. A consequence of this success was that Maria Zamora was invited to the Avro program "Fiesta", with the Skymasters, conducted by Bep Rowold. This program ran several years. Her fellow singer was Thom Kelling who was later succeeded by Wim van de Beek. Meanwhile, Maria and Andre had a son and a daughter. Because daughter Laura was handicapped Maria withdrew more and more back from the artistic life. In 1968 Maria and Andre were seriously injured in a car accident, from which Maria would never fully recover. After 34 years of marriage, followed in 1977 a divorce. Lonely and handicapped Maria Zamora died in 9 November, 1996, at age 73 of a heart attack . The following year appeared a book with a compilation of pictures, articles and discography about her.
When she met her future husband, orchestra conducter Andre Smit (former stage name Andreas Ferreira) in 1944, the situation in the Netherlands was so bad that the orchestra was disbanded. In 1949 Smit formed his own orchestra which was operating under the name Maria Zamora and its South American Orchestra. Followed success, "Mamá el Baión" (from 1955) became an international hit. A consequence of this success was that Maria Zamora was invited to the Avro program "Fiesta", with the Skymasters, conducted by Bep Rowold. This program ran several years. Her fellow singer was Thom Kelling who was later succeeded by Wim van de Beek. Meanwhile, Maria and Andre had a son and a daughter. Because daughter Laura was handicapped Maria withdrew more and more back from the artistic life. In 1968 Maria and Andre were seriously injured in a car accident, from which Maria would never fully recover. After 34 years of marriage, followed in 1977 a divorce. Lonely and handicapped Maria Zamora died in 9 November, 1996, at age 73 of a heart attack . The following year appeared a book with a compilation of pictures, articles and discography about her.