NEW YORK (KPRENSA) – Innovative and yet faithful to their ancient roots, Ojos de Brujo stands out as one of the truly original groups in world music. They hail from the sonic melting pot of Barcelona, and yet exist in a class of their own.

Their third album, Techarí, was released in the US on February 20th.. It is an ambitious, self-produced disc, recorded in Cuba and New York as well as in a studio at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains. The band kicks off a 2007 North American tour to support the disc from June 20 to July 1 in select cities including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Toronto, and Montreal.

See Publication Example

Ojos de Brujo started as a series of regular jam sessions for some of the Barcelona’s more open-minded young musicians. When percussionist Xavi Turull first came across the other band members, they were still a loose musical collective. The elder statesman of Ojos de Brujo, Turull had been in the seminal flamenco fusion band Amalgama, but after that band split he moved back to Barcelona. He was soon asked to join the jam sessions that were already taking place.

The other seminal figure of the band was flamenco guitarist Ramón Giménez. A gypsy by birth, he had been in several bands playing in different musical styles before joining forces with Xavi. The band evolved as the original two joined forces with the current line-up of singer Marina Abad, keyboardist and scratch DJ Panko, drummer Sergio Ramos, percussionist Maxwell Wright, flamenco guitarist Paco Lomeña, and bassist Javi Martin.

From its beginning, the band was attempting to create a new style of music. They would work with DJ’s scratching in flamenco rhythms, trying to take flamenco in a new urban direction. During their concerts they would go from hip hop to jazz, to rock, ragga, and funk, bringing in all kinds of Latin, East Asian, and Hindi influences. “The parameters were so wide, and I think that was what made people really crazy about what we did,” says Xavi.

The name Ojos de Brujo translates as “Eyes of the Wizard”. “We chose this because we think of wizards and witches as the people who have more vision than the rest of the population. And we think that music should be trying to help make the world become more conscious and aware.” Xavi says “Also, ‘brujo’ is a word strongly connected to flamenco. Gypsies have always had their witches and wizards protecting them.”

The new disc was also inspired by the gypsy spirit. “We are always trying to find a way to be free. That’s why the new album’s called Techarí, because it means ‘free’ in the gypsy language.” says Xavi.

Keeping the creative process free remains the heart and soul of the collective. “We don’t ever really know what we’re going to do,” Xavi laughs. “We all come with fresh ideas, and it’s down to all of us if we decide to use them or not. It makes the process really slow and complicated, but the end result is so rich. It’s the result of eight people putting all their feelings, knowledge, and wisdom together.”

Bookmark