Afrobrasileira

This impressively confident debut album is the work of Barcelona-based Mirla Riomar, singer-songwriter from Salvador da Bahia, in north-east Brazil. Countless compilations have been produced over the decades, inspired by Afro-Brazilians’ cultural heartland in and around Salvador da Bahia. Afrobrasileira stands out from the crowd, however, as an instantly captivating collection of original songs; nostalgic, but also fresh, new and personal, swinging from soulful jazz to samba with ease.

With her own racial mix (father with African roots and mother with Indigenous heritage), Riomar sings of her childhood and of the lives of other women struggling to survive in the impoverished north-east. ‘Zauê’, for instance, reflects on growing up in a favela (shanty town); while ‘Grande Orixá’ pays homage to the great Afro-deity, whom she credits with supporting her journey to her new home in Spain. Complementing Riomar’s gorgeous vocals is a line-up of reputable international musicians, including Letieres Leite (flute), Leo Costa (cavaquinho guitar), Alan Sousa (percussion) and her co-producer and guitarist Marcel Vallès. From harmonica to clarinet, the diverse instrumental support adds depth and subtlety to samba’s traditional cavaquinho and tropical percussion. If Afrobrasileira is any indication of what else Riomar has in her songbook, this reviewer is already hungry for more.