Despertar: A Mediterranean Modern Jazz Portrait by Manel Fortià

Manel Fortià, the double bassist at the heart of a six-band Mediterranean scene, presents a modern jazz panorama channeled through a New York-inspired trio album titled Despertar. The project is a careful, intimate self-portrait crafted and produced by Fortià, weaving together a handful of energetic originals that draw from the six chapters of his life in New York City between 2016 and 2020. The music unfolds with a softened intensity, revealing a personal sonic language that balances depth with lyric clarity. Fortià’s influences span a wide spectrum, from the spare, echoing phrases of Charlie Haden to the piano-driven storytelling of Keith Jarrett, from the elegant textures of Maurice Ravel to the passionate fire of Paco de Lucía. Each reference is not a mere homage but a living thread in the fabric of a sound that resonates with Mediterranean warmth and urban sophistication. The album’s title, Despertar, anchors the mood by signaling a journey through awakening, while the opening track Dormir offers a deliberate counterpoint that lingers like a late-night note. Entremig ens trobem dins emerges as a dream sequence born from a mosaic of life experiences, traveling through places and moments with a creative freedom that only a Mediterranean sensibility can lend to jazz. The album stands as a celebration of memory and exploration, a companionable listening experience that rewards attentive listening with its subtle shifts, rhythmic propulsion, and melodic dialogue. Despertar has earned recognition within the regional jazz circuit, highlighted by the Jazz Route 2022 designation from Núvol digital magazine. Critics have noted its trajectory toward a distinct jazz voice, and its impact extended into prominent awards, with the project receiving the 2023 Enderrock Award for Best Jazz Disc. In this work, Fortià leads a collaborative ensemble through a landscape that feels both intimate and expansive, inviting listeners to trace the connections between personal reminiscence and shared musical memory. The recording captures a balance of contemplative textures and propulsive swings, where melodic lines converse with rhythm sections in a way that invites both close listening and broader appreciation for the Mediterranean-influenced jazz tradition. The album’s personality emerges not through flashy display but through disciplined ensemble balance, precise orchestration, and a compositional confidence that invites audiences to hear how a life lived between continents can translate into a cohesive, expressive journey. Fortià’s approach to the bass, its timbral color, and its role within the trio setting—paired with the ensemble’s responsive dynamics—contribute to a listening experience that feels both grounded and exploratory. Across the tracks, the music speaks through a language that is at once accessible and nuanced, offering a bridge between classical sensibilities and contemporary improvisation. The project encases a narrative arc that moves from quiet introspection to more expansive, lyrical statements, a testament to the pianist and composer’s ability to fuse personal memory with collective musical conversation. As the trio navigates through shifting tempos and textures, listeners are treated to melodic lines that shimmer with clarity and harmonic imagination, all while maintaining a loose, organic feel that preserves the spontaneity of live performance. Despertar thus emerges as more than a collection of tunes; it is an aural diary, a carefully curated sequence of moments that invites reflection on the power of birthplace, journey, and the enduring pull of a homeland-inflected sound. The album’s reception within the jazz community underscores its significance as a contemporary articulation of Mediterranean modernism, and its accolades signify a broader recognition of how personal history can translate into universal resonance. In the end, Fortià’s Despertar stands as a compelling statement about artistry that is intimate, expressive, and outward-looking, offering a durable contribution to the canon of modern jazz that continues to evolve, invite dialogue, and inspire future explorations. [Núvol digital magazine, Jazz Route 2022] [Enderrock Awards, Best Jazz Disc 2023]