Ojos de Brujo This Barcelona band was formed in 1996 as the result of a desire to experiment with fusions and innovate in the performance of traditional flamenco sounds. Today, they are a major world ambassador for new flamenco, a genre that blends with the most traditional sounds of our Spanish neighbours, investing in the modernity that fusion experimentation allows. They dare to revisit the genre’s origins, experimenting with blends of sonorities that reflect a huge variety of influences. The result is a new angle, 21st century flamenco.

Vengue is Ojos de Brujo’s first album, which they produced themselves in 1999 and which drew the critics’ attention and opened the door to a promising future. It was followed by Bari in 2002, which they also produced themselves and which widened their spectrum, taking their music to an even larger audience. Bari was the band’s passport to the stages of Womad and landmark festivals such as Glastonbury and Roskilde, resulting in international recognition. The album is available worldwide, from Europe to the United States of America, from Australia to the United Arab Emirates.

The album’s international success resulted in the Catalan group being nominated for the BBC Awards in 2004, where they won the prize for the Best European World Music Group (the other nominees were Manu Chao, Son de La Frontera and Thierry Titi Robin).

In 2006, Ojos de Brujo recorded their third album, Techarí, an encounter with many other musicians: the Senegalese Daara J, Martirio, Maxwell Wright (beatbox), pianist Roberto Carcasses, Nitin Sawney, Pepe Habichuela, Asian Dub Foundations and Raul Rodriguez, among others.

The word “Techarí” means freedom in Romany. And the band itself describes it as being like “the chemistry that flows from their concerts, the attitude in light of what’s happening in the world, the sensuality of the little things”. Ojos de Brujo thus continue on their way “anywhere in the world”, like the sons of “roaming rumba” and multilingual flamenco, celebrating their liberty, the sensuality of their music and the richness of the contagious rhythm.

Their concerts are a feast of experimental sound, where nomad and mixed race music blends with the sounds of the world, “communicating, creating and celebrating”.

In April this year, the Catalan band began their tour “Aocaná” (“Now”, in caló), which will give the entire world the opportunity to discover the different fusions of genres that influence their music, from reggae to hip-hop, and tango to flamenco. Our Spanish friends’ route includes a visit to Portugal for the MED festival, where they take to the stage on Thursday the 25th of June. This will be their first appearance in Portugal since they performed at the Sudoeste Festival in 2007.

“On stage, Ojos de Brujo play as though their musical energy could provoke a revolution”, says the New York Times of their performance. Soon the Portuguese public will be able to judge for themselves when the band performs live on the second day of the 2009 MED Festival. 

MySpace Profile - http://www.ojosdebrujo.com

Official Website - http://www.myspace.com/ojosdebrujo