Ojos De Brujo

by Marisa Brown Originally more of a collective than a band, the Barcelona-based flamenco fusion group Ojos de Brujo, which translates to Eyes of the Wizard, came together in the mid-'90s when guitarist Ramon Giménez began playing with likeminded experimental musicians like singer Marina "La Canillas" Abad and percussionist Xavi Turull, trying to find out what kind of sound they could create. In 1999, as an official group, Ojos de Brujo issued their first album, a completely self-produced and self-recorded release, Vengue. With a lineup that consisted of Giménez; Abad; turntablist DJ Panko; percussionists Sergio Ramos, Turull, and Maxwell Wright; and guitarist Paco Lomeña, Ojos de Brujo went on to record (again, all aspects of the process were done by the band) 2002's Barí, which was followed by an extensive world tour. Besides increasing their fan base, the tour also introduced them to other musicians from around the world. These meetings inspired the bandmembers to continue developing their sound, and their next album, 2006's Techarí, saw the inclusion of Cuban trumpet player Carlos Sarduy.