Artists
who's who and who's doing what?Ojos de Brujo (GER, A, CH, EE only)
- country:Spain
- region:Catalonia
- style(s):Flamenco Hip Hop
- label:
- type:Band, DJ/Remixer
- gender:male, female
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
- artist submitted by:
Intense and uncompromising as the name suggests, Ojos de Brujo (Eyes of the Wizard) perform a non-stop, high-octane brew of flamenco fusion full of humor, mystery and energy. Their last album, Bari, was a worldwide hit, and they have dazzled audiences across the globe with their legendary exhilarating live performances.
Their latest album, Techari, has been called "a revelation" and "spellbinding," and has already won raves throughout Europe and Asia. Drawing inspiration from friends and collaborators they met throughout their recent journeys, they have created a dense, multi-layered world of galactic bandits, lost souls, street sultanas and sailors who kiss the ground. Its roots are pure Barcelona, but its appeal is universal: freedom of expression, freedom of thought, and above all, freedom to hope.
The band's sound is pure, raw emotion, communicative and generous. On stage, in their incomparable live act, they show the full extent of their inspiration and range, where their sonic flow combines with video art, DJ wizardry, live painting performances, and above all, the heart-stopping flamenco dancing which is part of the past and present of every member in the band. These elements, added to the percussive base of the "cajon freaks," invite the audience to join in an unforgettable high-energy fiesta that unites music lovers of all backgrounds in buleria bliss.
Awards:
Gold album in Spain for Techari, 2006
Best 2004 Tour from the Spanish Music Academy
BBC Radio 3 World Music Award, February 2004
Impala Awards in 2005 for Bari and 2006 for Techari
"Revelation of the Year" in "La Banda Elastica"
BIOGRAPHY
2006. Barcelona. The children of the street rumba and polyglot flamenco celebrate the freedom and sensuality of music and the wealth of contagious rhythm. This is the catharsis of flamenco and the joy of sonic experimentation: nomadic, racially-mixed music crossing the streets of cities of the world like a ship full of lunatics, communicating, creating, and celebrating. Techari is the chemistry that flows in its concerts, Techari is an attitude you put forth into the world, Techari is alive in the smallest of details. In Calo, the gypsy language, Techari means "Free," and wherever in the world they find themselves, they follow their own road.
The journey of Ojos de Brujo (ODB) started well before they began to know one other. In the depths of their previous experiences. In their fascination with the rhythmical treasures of the planet and the languages of flamenco. With a constant experimental curiosity and the need to reach out to and encounter other artists.
In 1999, the group recorded its first album, 'Vengue' (another gypsy word for the energy that flows through life). It was a homemade production that captured the attention of critics and the public alike, and news of the band's performances spread rapidly. It was also the beginning of a period of independent production for ODB, after which they would begin to publish their own work. Going against conventional industry wisdom, they created their own structure and team for promotion, production, and recording of all future material.
The adventure that started in September of 2002 with the release of their second album, ''Bari' ("joy" or "virtual essence" in Calo) was the band's next step. Now, without industry pressure, they were free to take a new direction. They presented 'Bari' to enthusiastic fans across the globe between 2002 and 2005, through several tours in Latin America and the U.S., playing in the most important jazz, rock, and world music festivals such as Glastonbury, Rosklide, Summerstage NY Central Park, Lowlands, Montreal Jazz... Japan, Colombia, Morocco, Cuba, Mexico, Hungary, France, and Germany.
It is during this time that an encounter with the Senegalese group Daara J came about, along with Martirio's infinite celebration till the dawn and the beatbox antics of Maxwell Wright steering tanguillo rhythms; the vitality of Cuban pianist Roberto Carcasses and the magical world of Nitin Sawney, whose recent release featured guest Brujos; the majestic guitar work of Pepe Habicheula, the contagious energy of the Asian Dub Foundation; the lucidity of Raul Rodrigues. Tambores beating out bulerias and so funky, so much funkier than Catalan rumba
The vital enthusiasm of ODB has always gone well beyond music. A hive of artistic activity in which phographers, graffiti artists, visual entertainers, illustrators, programmers and producers collaborate and participate. Artists from all over the world play in and deepen the group's ideas, collected in the extra disc that the group is including in its new release, "Techari."
A lovingly and luminously designed album, Techari is alive with the colors, flavors, and textures that arise while exploring the group's visual world. They decided to publish it in both a standard edition as well as a deluxe booklet featuring artists' interpretations of each song.
Currently, they are getting ready to embark on the Techari World Tour and are already gathering material for their next album. It is a voyage that has only just begun, set to continue into parts unknown...
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