BIOGRAPHY

Marcel Vallès is a guitarist, composer and producer from Els Guiamets, a small village in Catalonia (Spain). He graduated in Jazz and Modern Music Guitar from the Taller de Músics in Barcelona in 2021.

He began his musical journey at the age of 15, playing in rock and blues bands. In 2012, he embarked on a three-year journey through South America that profoundly shaped his musical language. Living in Chile, Argentina and especially Brazil, he immersed himself in the rich musical traditions of the continent, developing a deep connection with Brazilian music and Afro-Latin rhythms.

Throughout his career, Vallès has been involved in a wide range of musical projects, from solo performances to jazz, Brazilian music, world music, rock and funk ensembles. Since 2016, he has maintained a close artistic partnership with Brazilian singer Mirla Riomar as guitarist, producer and musical director, performing at renowned festivals and venues across Europe and Africa.

He has also collaborated with acclaimed international artists including Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, Brazilian composer and conductor Letieres Leite, French percussionist Steve Shehan, Cuban trumpeter Julito Padrón and Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy, among others. In 2025, he was invited to participate in 101 Flames of Inspiration, an international collaborative project bringing together more than 170 musicians from around the world.

Marcel has performed at festivals, theatres and concert halls across Europe, Africa and Latin America, including Madrid Jazz Festival, International Bansko Jazz Festival (Bulgaria), Esperanzah! Festival, House of Music Hungary, LAC Lugano (Switzerland), Le Rocher de Palmer (France), EXIB Música (Portugal), CaixaForum Barcelona, Jazzin’ Tanger Festival (Morocco), Over The Border Festival (Germany), Suoni Mobili (Italy), Dublin 5 Lamps Arts Festival (Ireland), Artistas Maputo (Mozambique), among many others.

As a producer, he is best known for his work on Afrobrasileira, the acclaimed album by Brazilian singer Mirla Riomar, with whom he has collaborated since 2016. He also produced several tracks on Hello Cabo Verde by Cape Verdean singer-songwriter Ade da Costa, both projects receiving praise from the international world music press.

In May 2026, Marcel released his debut album, Boas Lembranças, together with acclaimed French percussionist Steve Shehan. Inspired by a three-year journey through South America, the album blends Brazilian traditions, jazz and contemporary improvisation, receiving widespread critical acclaim. It has been featured by Paris Move (★★★★), CUANDO LOS ELEFANETS SUEÑAN CON LA MUSICA- Radio 3 (Spain), AO COEUR DO JAZZ- France Musique,  Jazzus – Radio ARA (Luxembourg) HORIZONTES-KUTX FM (USA), MUNDOFONIAS and several other international media outlets.

Today, Marcel presents Boas Lembranças both as a solo guitar project and with his trio, while continuing his work as a composer, producer and collaborator in international jazz and world music projects.