This time, Le Jazziste by Mary stops among the sun-kissed streets and soft rhythms of a city that knows how to welcome even saudade: Barcelona.
The protagonist of this journey is Carme Canela, a Catalan jazz singer with a clear, sincere, and deeply narrative voice. An interpreter of both words and silences, Carme has built her career as a journey through languages: she sings in Catalan, Portuguese, Spanish, and English — always with elegance and deep awareness.
🎶 The album: Cravo e Canela (Fresh Sound, 2001)
In 2001, Carme Canela released Cravo e Canela, a refined tribute to Brazilian music, and especially to Milton Nascimento. The album takes its name from one of his most iconic songs and, as the title suggests, it evokes spices, warm breezes, and bittersweet memories.
This is a record that blends European jazz with Brazilian tradition, featuring delicate arrangements and a masterful use of space, melody, and poetic lyricism. Pianist Toni Vaquer and the accompanying musicians build an essential yet rich soundscape around Carme’s voice.
🌺 Recommended track: Cravo e Canela
The title track is a small gem: Carme flows gracefully between melody and Portuguese pronunciation, letting her voice become an instrument — a vehicle for rhythm and atmosphere.
Other gems on the album include Travessia, Cais, and Vera Cruz.
When I listened to this album while walking through El Raval, among colorful walls and the scent of coffee, I felt like I was also a bit in Rio, in Minas Gerais, and anywhere jazz can touch the heart.
Cravo e Canela is an album to be listened to at sunset, to be experienced slowly.
Happy listening and happy jazz! 💜
Mary 🌹
