Lourdes Roca, councillor of the Palma City Council and goddaughter of Joan Roca, has expressed her sorrow over the death of the bassist of Antònia Font, highlighting the close family relationship and unconditional support for his musical career.
The death of Joan Roca, bassist of Antònia Font, has left a deep void in the Balearic music scene, but also among his closest loved ones. His niece and goddaughter, Lourdes Roca, councillor of the Palma City Council, wanted to remember the musician from the most personal and family perspective.
"We are devastated. We are a very close family and we were his first fans," Lourdes Roca stated, visibly affected by the loss of her godfather. The councillor explained that since she was little, she maintained a very close contact with him, as he was her father's brother, and the family frequently attended his concerts, both with Antònia Font and with other musical projects he participated in.
The director of Mallorca Live, Álvaro Martínez, also highlighted the musician's human qualities. "He was humble, approachable, and affectionate. He seemed like a great person," he noted. Martínez recalled that his relationship with Roca went beyond the band that brought him fame, as they also collaborated in the formation Dinamo, a parallel project that the bassist promoted during the hiatus of Antònia Font.
Lluís Gendrau, director of the music magazine Enderrock, emphasised Roca's "closeness and availability." "He was very affable and always said yes," he reminisced. As an anecdote, he recalled that when they awarded a prize to Antònia Font, it was Joan who came to collect it, as Joan Miquel Oliver and Pau Debon were not as inclined to appear at such events. Gendrau also highlighted the musician's interest in promoting Dinamo: "He was a musician who liked to experiment." He concluded that "Antònia Font has lost a very important person, especially from a human perspective."
The Teatre Principal de Palma also wanted to join in the expressions of condolence. Its director, Miquel Martorell, recalled that the public venue "marked a historic milestone in the trajectory of Antònia Font when it hosted the farewell concert in December 2013, before their separation." The success was such that two more concerts were rescheduled. Additionally, Martorell mentioned Roca's role as a double bassist with the Orquestra Simfònica in some concerts, and sent the theatre's sincerest condolences to the family and friends on its behalf.
Joan Roca passed away this Wednesday, leaving an indelible musical legacy and the memory of a close and generous person, as described by those who knew him. His goddaughter, Lourdes Roca, wanted to highlight the family's unconditional support for his career: "The family attended his concerts both with Antònia Font and when he was in other bands," she emphasised sadly.
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