LUCÍA FUMERO: FOLKLORE

Lucía Fumero piano, guitar, vocals
Magali Datzira double bass
Juan Rodríguez Berbín drums

Pianist, guitarist, singer, and composer Lucía Fumero is one of the most distinctive voices on the contemporary Barcelona jazz scene, but the label “jazz” is far too narrow for her project Folklore. It is a declaration of love for her own roots, which stretch from Catalonia all the way to Argentina.

Born in Barcelona into a family with deep musical roots, Lucía Fumero demonstrates in this project that tradition need not be a dusty museum exhibit, but a living, pulsating organism. Her music is lighthearted, yet deeply rooted in the rhythms of Latin American folklore. She masterfully blends the sophisticated harmonies she mastered during her studies at the Rotterdam Conservatory with the simplicity and sincerity of folk storytelling. The result is a sound that feels exceptionally organic and natural, as if her songs have existed since time immemorial and she has merely rediscovered them for today’s world.

A central element of the project is Lucía Fumero’s voice. She doesn’t dazzle with technical prowess; rather, she presents herself as a storyteller whispering tales of childhood, home, journeys, and farewells into the listener’s ear. Her singing carries a specific melancholy that the Spanish call “duende” and the Portuguese “saudade,” yet it also radiates youthful energy and the joy of improvisation. When she sits down at the piano, you hear echoes of classical music one moment, the ferocity of modern jazz the next, and then everything blends into traditional Argentine rhythms.

Both on stage and in the studio, Lucía surrounds herself with musicians who share her sense of detail and dynamics. In a trio with double bass (Magali Datzira) and drums (Juan Rodríguez Berbín), she creates a space where every note has its meaning and where silence plays just as important a role as sound. Critics emphasize that the project’s uniqueness also lies in its ability to communicate with the listener regardless of language barriers. Although Lucía Fumero sings in Spanish, the emotions she pours into her songs are universal. They embody beauty without unnecessary artificial embellishments, a statement about the singer’s roots and a desire to show that their connection to contemporary music can captivate anyone willing to listen.