Catching Up with Jazz Violin Virtuoso Èlia Bastida
At the age of 29, Èlia Bastida has spent the past decade firmly establishing herself as one of the world’s premiere jazz violinists, and is now ready to release a new album, Aquarela (Watercolors), capturing the wide array of styles and moods that seem to flow so effortlessly from her instrument, and from her heart. It will be the sixth album under her name.
She began violin lessons when she was five years old, and spent her early musical education immersed in classical music. That changed when Joan Chamorro asked her to audition for his renown Sant Andreu Jazz Band, founded in 2006 and comprised of students ranging from about 8 years old to 21. Despite their young ages and numerous changes in personnel, they have consistently astounded audiences with their extraordinary musicianship and feeling for classic jazz in both big band and smaller group formats.
Upon joining the band at 17 (a fairly advanced age for a new member of the SAJB), Èlia discovered the world of jazz, and soon made her mark as violinist, saxophonist and vocalist. Her first album was released in October of 2017, as part of the Joan Chamorro presenta series.
The addition of the violin to the band had a significant influence over its sound, as guitarist Josep Traver — who, since the beginning, has been collaborator, teacher, and sideman for the SAJB and its related projects — points out. “I think she’s the only one violin player who joined the SAJB, and fit so well with the clarinetists to build like a string section,” he says. “The color of the violin added a new texture to the wind instruments. There are some examples in the jazz history mixing strings with the sound of a big band: Duke Ellington, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitgerald, etc.”
In late 2019, Èlia released an even more personal album, The Magic Sound of the Violin.
As Chamorro wrote, “Èlia, during the eight years she has been part of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, has had an interest, a dedication, a passion so passionate about music and in particular jazz, which has led her to be, today a great soloist, especially with the violin. Without neglecting the musicality, the strength, the intensity of Stéphane Grappelli as the first reference, and adding everything contributed by bebop, hardbop and other music, the search for Èlia of a speech that includes all aspects which she incorporates, they have made her adopt her own style, rich in nuances, open and free of labels, but above all passionate, with which she manages to extract all the wonderful possibilities of ‘the magical sound of the violin’.”
In 2020, reflecting on her years with the band, she wrote, “The years I spent in the big band have been incredible, a dream come true! The SAJB has given me the great opportunity to record many albums with international soloists, to do many concerts, to have two records in my name, and so many opportunities that, without being in the SAJB, I wouldn’t have had. I am very knowledgeable, and I am very grateful!”
Since moving on from her role as a regular SAJB band member, she has established herself as perhaps the top jazz violinist in Europe — and, for that matter, the rest of the planet as well. While the violin is not often closely associated with jazz — with fairly rare exceptions, such as the likes of Grappelli, Joe Venuti, Stuff Smith, Jon-Luc Ponti, and a handful of others in the past century — she has been making major strides in continuing the tradition of her predecessors, by bringing the instrument back to front & center in the jazz world.
While doing so, she has also collaborated with other outstanding musicians, including superb Barcelona singer/pianist Carolina Alabau (one of her closest friends), and American tenor sax legend Scott Hamilton, to mention just two.
[You can read more about Èlia and Carolina’s collaborations in the article “The Compelling Music of Èlia Bastida and Carolina Alabau”].
Recording her album with Hamilton was interrupted for over a year by the Covid pandemic, but their patience and determination won out in the end, resulting in the finished product of their unique alliance in late 2021.
It was then a natural step in her career to pay an album-long tribute to Grappelli, and his landmark recordings with guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930s as part of “The Quintet of the Hot Club of France.”
Josep Traver was enthusiastic to be part of the project. “I was so excited to play with Django and Stéphane in mind because I’m a big fan of their music, and Django is an absolute a guitar reference to me in terms of creativity, freshness, lyricism and harmonic complexity.”
But, he’s quick to add, “we do not want only to recreate their sound, we’re trying to have our own approach to this music, using our music personalities researching for a new sound mixing jazz, swing, Brazilian and Latin music as well.”
For the new album, Aquarela, Élia and Chamorro have so far released a few videos of the recording sessions, which took place at The Jazz House (Chamorro’s home rehearsal/recording studio) late last year, when Èlia was pregnant with their son, Kai.
“The recording of the new album was last December,” she says. “I was already thinking about what the new album’s themes would be, but I wanted to have it recorded before my son was born.
“The album title refers to reflecting the various musical colors that I have and that are part of my everyday life. Since I’m a first instrument violinist, but saxophones (soprano and tenor) are also an important part of me, the voice, and I’ve also been composing songs for some time, and I really wanted to make an album where all of these were shown colors, hence the name Watercolor.”
She says of the songs, “They were recorded in one of the most special moments of my life, during my pregnancy. And that’s why it’s an album with a unique touch for me, you don’t always record an album being ‘two in one’ !”
One of the tracks is the festive “Um A Zero” by Brazilian composers Pixinguinha and Benedito Lacerda.
Four of the songs on the album are her original compositions: “Moto non Perpetuo,” “Castell de Montoliu (de Segarra),” “Na Luz da Lua (In the Moonlight),” and “Aquest Primer Instant (This First Moment)”.
The gentle “Na Luz da Lua” sounds like a lullaby, but she says, “I didn’t really write it with that intention, although when I did the arrangement, I was already pregnant — maybe that had an influence. But I composed the song a few years ago, it’s a song about life, about love.”
“Aquest Primer Instant,” on the other hand, certainly is the result of a special moment during her pregnancy.
“Yes, it’s a song dedicated to my son Kai. I wrote it the first time that I heard the sound of his heart, in one of the first ultrasounds of the pregnancy.”
“I was really struck by that moment. It was very emotional. It’s a moment where a sound is telling you that your child is inside, alive, with an incredible rhythm, and I really couldn’t do anything but write a song.”
In March of 2024, she and Chamorro welcomed Kai into the world.
After taking time off, the second half of 2024 included performing live gigs, most often as a trio with Chamorro and Traver.
“I love the sound of the trio,” she says. “They are all string instruments (violin, guitar, double bass; apart from when I sing and play sax) and I really like how this combination looks. It’s also easier to move around, and depending on the context and what the programmers want, we go for a trio or a quartet.” She points out that the new album is almost entirely recorded as a quartet with one of the original SAJB musicians and invaluable sideman Arnau Julià on drums, “…and also with some surprises from special guests, which makes me very excited!”
Taver also sees advantages of playing in smaller combos. “Yes, I prefer to play in small groups because of the interaction. I like to play duets, trios, quartets and quintets because we can change things, add songs, or make head arrangements at the moment, in a easygoing way.”
He continues, “I like to play as a trio but enjoy as well when Arnau joins us and adds his drums because the rhythm section grows strong and fits so well with our playing. Also, I love the collaborations in the new album which they add new colors and textures to Élia’s music universe.”
[You can read more about Traver’s years of musical contributions to the SAJB in this 2022 article: “Josep Traver: Guitarist of all Trades” | Medium]
Once she resumed performing, Élia spent much of 2024 learning the fine points of balancing motherhood with her music career, and now feels she has found what’s best suited for her.
“Well, it is quite a challenge and at the same time a blessing to combine the new life as a mother with my work as a musician,” she says. “Lucky because it allows me to spend much more time with my son than I could if I worked in a job with more fixed day-to-day hours. But also a challenge because I returned to the stage after a month and a half of having given birth and this meant an emotional effort that I also did not imagine when I organized it.
“It was great for me to go out early and move with Kai and lose the ‘fear’ of doing many things with a baby, but at the same time it was hard for me to separate from him during the concerts. I finally found the balance and now we organize ourselves very well, sometimes I stop playing two songs at concerts to go with Kai if he needs food — I breastfeed him — and so both he and I are calm. Little is seen of the facet of motherhood, and the natural conciliation that this requires, and which many times mothers and babies cannot have.”
In late September, SAJB saxophonist Koldo Munné joined the trio for a number of gigs, billed as “The New Quartet.”
He and Élia have shared the stage many times in the years since she left the SAJB. What thoughts does she have playing with Koldo today, considering she has known him since he joined the SAJB at such a young age?
“It’s always exciting to play with colleagues with whom we grew up and with whom you’ve seen grow up even more since childhood. They’re like musical brothers and it’s always very nice. So very happy to share music with Koldo!”
As for Aquarela, the final mixing and mastering was completed in early October, with David Casamitjana at the board. The “official” debut will coincide with their concert at the Jamboree club in Barcelona on December 13.
“It will be available a little earlier,” she says, “because on December 6, 7 and 8 we present the album in Madrid, at Café Central. You can already buy it there. And obviously also at the Jamboree. It will be released on digital platforms right at the beginning of December, too!”
Her live dates with the trio and quartet will continue sporadically through the end of the year.
And, as if she hasn’t been busy enough, she also continues to work with the string quartet she founded last year. “Yes! In fact, one of the surprises of the new album is that there are some tracks with my string quartet, they will be out soon and I’m really looking forward to them. We will also be with Élia Bastida String Quartet at the Palau de la Música on November 29 with the Tribute to Frank Sinatra that we will perform with the SAJB and Edu Ferrer. And in the future more news will come with them!”
When asked about the directions she might want to take her music in the future, having already explored many styles, she says, “I think about it when I want to do a new project, but the styles I do are always styles close to jazz or fusion. I don’t believe too much in musical labels, nor do I like to pigeonhole a musician into a specific style. Still, jazz is always my starting point, but when I compose — because I’ve spent many years playing classical music, I love Brazilian music, and I listen to many types of music — melodies come out that don’t have to be jazzy. On this album, ‘Aquest primer instant’ may remind you more of a jazz sound, but ‘Moto non perpetuo’ reminds you more of Brazil, etc.”
Traver describes Elia’s musical growth of the past decade and longer, saying, “I think she is a serious musician. She loves violin so much, singing and playing sax as well, and she’s searching new ways to express herself, and looking forward new directions for the violin jazz in terms of improvisation and going from classical to modern music styles. She’s growing step by step and I´m sure she will have a brilliant future in her musical career. Go, Élia, go!”
It is the striking of that balance, when mixing the familiar with the new, that has kept her music so interesting, as we’ve watched her continuing the path from musician to true artist.
Until next time…
You can read my 100+ online articles, including over 30 related to the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, at the links below, and at the “Garry’s Blog” page on my website, www.GarryBerman.com. The site also includes synopses and reviews of my books, which you can order via the links to Amazon.com.
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SAJB-related articles:
“Joe Magnarelli Returns to the SAJB” | by Garry Berman | Oct. 2024 | Medium
“Joan Chamorro and the SAJB in 2024” | by Garry Berman | Medium
“Lola Peñaranda’s Sax Does the Talking” | by Garry Berman | April, 2024 | Medium
“Catching up with Anastasia Ivanova” |April, 2024 | Medium
“The Jazz House Story”| by Garry Berman | March, 2024 | Medium
“Joana Casanova Finds Her New Musical Direction” | by Garry Berman | Jan. 2024 | Medium
“Andrea Motis: Europe’s Jazz Queen” | by Garry Berman | Jan. 2024 | Medium
“Bossa Nova Returns to Barcelona” | by Garry Berman | Medium| by Garry Berman | Medium
“Carla Motis: A Quiet Force on Jazz Guitar” | by Garry Berman | Sept, 2023 | Medium
“Memories of my Visit to Jazzing Fest, 2023” | by Garry Berman | Sept, 2023 | Medium
“Meet Asier Vázquez, The SAJB’s Eager New Guitarist” | by Garry Berman | Medium
“Koldo Munné’s Musical Journey” | by Garry Berman | June, 2023 | Medium
“Claudia Rostey’s Rising Star” | by Garry Berman | June, 2023 | Medium
“A Film About Kids and Music: Ten Years Later” https://medium.com/@garryberman/a-film-about-kids-and-music-ten-years-later-50d5bf96f53b
“Marching to a Different Bassist: The Music of Magali Datzira” | by Garry Berman | Medium
“Kindred Spirits: How Joan Chamorro and Isidore Rudnick Teach Jazz to Kids” https://medium.com/@garryberman/kindred-spirits-how-joan-chamorro-and-isidore-rudnick-teach-jazz-to-kids-2d0cb80bed77
“The Compelling Music of Elia Bastida and Carolina Alabau” https://medium.com/@garryberman/the-compelling-music-of-%C3%A8lia-bastida-and-carolina-alabau-65da74f07804
“The SAJB’s Koldo Munne Steps into the Jazz Spotlight” https://garryberman.medium.com/the-sajbs-koldo-munn%C3%A9-steps-into-the-jazz-spotlight-238b3231626f
“A Tale of Two Albas” https://garryberman.medium.com/a-tale-of-two-albas-904849a5e697
“How a Kids Band in Barcelona Rekindled My Love of Jazz” https://garryberman.medium.com/how-a-kids-band-in-barcelona-rekindled-my-love-of-jazz-a20ea8873670
“Jan Domenech’s New Chapter as a Jazz Musician” https://garryberman.medium.com/jan-domenechs-new-chapter-as-a-jazz-musician-e1f0da8b19b9
“Joan Chamorro and the SAJB: Past, Present, and Future” https://medium.com/@garryberman/joan-chamorro-and-the-sajb-past-present-and-future-573eedcbff76
“Josep Traver: Guitarist of All Trades” https://garryberman.medium.com/josep-traver-guitarist-of-all-trades-608296f9d00a
“When American Jazz Pros Meet Spanish Jazz Kids” https://garryberman.medium.com/when-american-jazz-pros-meet-spanish-jazz-kids-25c7f5023571
“Claudia Rostey: The Life of an 18-year-old Bacelona Jazz Trombonist” https://garryberman.medium.com/claudia-rostey-the-life-of-an-18-year-old-barcelona-jazz-trombonist-d13b82c770a3
“The Magic of the Voice: The Singers of the Sant Andreu Jazz Band” https://garryberman.medium.com/the-magic-of-the-voice-the-singers-of-the-sant-andreu-jazz-band-208dfb629221
“Jobim is Alive and Well in Barcelona” https://garryberman.medium.com/jobim-is-alive-and-well-in-barcelona-d384b40d8c2e
“Did Someone Say Anastasia Ivanova?” https://garryberman.medium.com/did-someone-say-anastasia-ivanova-dd6f67277c64
“Struck by (musical) Lightning” https://garryberman.medium.com/struck-by-musical-lightning-6583ecb0de13
The Sant Andreu Jazz Band is always grateful for donations large and small to help the project continue to record and release new albums, perform live concerts, and maintain a successful project, with all that it entails.
