OJOS DE BRUJO
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. Techarí is the chemistry that flows in its
concerts, Techarí is an attitude you put forth into the world,
Techarí is alive in the smallest of details. In Caló, the gypsy
language, Techarí means "Free." 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.
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The adventure that started
in September of 2002 with the release of their second album, ''Barí'
("joy" or "virtual essence" in Caló) was the band's next step.
Now, without industry pressure, they were free to take a new
direction. They presented 'Barí' 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 Raúl Rodrígues. Tambores beating out
bulerías 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, "Techarí."
A lovingly and luminously designed album, Techarí 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 Techarí 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...
Ojos De Brujo Links:
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