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Marco Mezquida

Marco Mezquida was born on the island of Menorca in 1987, he begins his studies at the age of eight, graduates in 2009 from the School of Music of Catalonia (ESMUC), where he studied jazz improvisation, classical and contemporary music with Albert Bover, Lluís Vidal, Agustí Fernández, Coll and Juan Ramon de la Rubia. Appreciating his work Mezquida has been awarded two years in a row as ‘Musician of the Year’ 2011 and 2012 by the Association of Musicians Jazz and Modern Catalonia.

Settled in Barcelona, at the age of 25 Mezquida is one of the most active pianists in the Catalan jazz scene. He has recorded 17 cd’s as a sideman and 4 as a leader or co-leader . He has performed in over 20 countries in 4 continents being a member of some of the most active and influential national groups, for example Marc Miralta Quartet, Giulia Valle Group, Raynald Colom Quartet, Albert Cirera Quartet, Herb Robertson, Omar Tamez, Miguel Fernandez Quartet, Celeste-Mezquida Duo , Selnik / Mezquida Duo, Carme Canela, Victor de Diego, Masa Kamaguchi, Gorka Benitez, Rafa Lechowsky …

He has played in several European International Jazz Festivals (Vitoria, Vilnius, Vienne, London, Cannes, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Barcelona, Reus, Menorca, Terrassa, Madrid, Grenoble, Seoul, Orleans, Vic, Granollers, Xabia, Korea, San Javier in Murcia …) and has performed in renowned jazz clubs as the A Trane Berlin, Munich Unterfarht, Bimhuis in Amsterdam, Porgy and Bess in Vienna, St. Petersburg JKF, the Blue Train from Osaka and performes regularly at the Jamboree in Barcelona. He played with various orchestras/Big Bands conducted by Salvador Brotons, Joan Albert Amargós or David Mengual. He has recorded several music programs for the Catalan television.

He has been taught in seminars and masterclasses by famous musicians such as Fred Hersch, Agustí Fernández, Dave Kikosky, John Taylor and Aaron Goldberg, He’s Professor of the School of Music Studies Musicians Workshop Barcelona (ESEM)

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4
Album Review

Manel Fortia: Despertar

Read "Despertar" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


This trio has collectively accompanied such legends and mentors as Dave Liebman, Billy Hart, Miguel Zenón and Arturo O'Farrill. Their Despertar introduces us to double bassist Manel Fortia, whose deep-rooted, emotional precision recalls the late Charlie Haden, pianist Marco Mezquida's sensual lyricism, and drummer Raphaël Pannier's many vivid colors. This is a nine song, eye and ear opening cycle of stirring, Gotham inspired, Euro- tinged Fortia originals. Meaning to awaken, Despertar sheds illumination on the darkness from which ...

3
Album Review

Manel Fortia: Despertar

Read "Despertar" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Bassist Manel Fortia is from Barcelona, Spain, but between 2016 and 2020 he lived in New York City. His experiences in both cities are the building blocks of the music he composed for this trio album which combines elegant Mediterranean romance with bristling big city energy. The solemn resonance of Fortia's bass plucking on the opening track, “Dormir," resembles the sound of the late, great bassist Charlie Haden, an admitted influence. Fortia's notes could be an alternative version ...

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Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Despertar

Segell Microscopi
2022

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Simple

From: Despertar
By Marco Mezquida

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