Tamara Obrovac Quartet - Nuvola (2023)

The composer, singer and flutist Tamara Obrovac from the Croatian city of Pula is one of the most impressive artists on the Croatian music scene. Her ethnically inspired contemporary Mediterranean jazz is influenced by the particular musical and dialectal traditions of her homeland, the Croatian coastal region of Istria.

Istria is a beautiful Croatian region, a North Adriatic peninsula, particular for it's musical and dialectal tradition. She writes lyrics in local dialects, of Slavic and Romanic origin, and sings in other ancient and endangered Istrian dialects.
In addition to her international concert activities, she composes music for theatre and film, and she has received many awards for her work, including 8 Croatian national discographic awards Porin (Croatian Grammy).

Her main bands, the international Transhistria Ensemble (Histria is an ancient name for Istra), and her Quartet incorporates elements of jazz, Istrian and Mediterranean music, and many elements of modern music skilfully and naturally, and her utterly original and autochthonous music goes beyond time and geographical boundaries, thus becoming a universal artistic message which establishes Tamara Obrovac as an exceptional artist who has created her own unique musical expression."

This creative musician has become known for her highly aesthetic performances; her interpretations are suffused with spontaneity, inventive improvisation, freedom, humour and the ability to communicate with the audience, while Tamara's voice is equally impressive when she sings lyrics and when she improvises thus turning itself into an additional instrument.

International recognition came also through the nomination for the BBC Radio 3 World music Awards 2004 (European Music and Audience Award).

Here is what John L. Walters, Guardian, 20/02/2004 said while browsing the double CD with all the nominees songs:
"Fortunately, the random nature of awards compilation like this provides the opportunity to browse and skip and fall headlong for something you've never heard before. In my case, the "blind date" artist is Tamara Obrovac. Cansoneita (A Small Song) performed by Obrovac with the Transhistria Ensemble, is a floating, beguiling track, with spacious drumming, tuneful accordion and a delicious lead vocal by Obrovac."