Arnau Obiols - Tost (2019) [Hi-Res]

Arnau Obiols i Campi

Born in autumn 1985 in La Seu d’Urgell, Catalan Pyrenees. As a child, he starts playing the drums with all the objects he finds in his grandparents’ farm houses. Since then, drums and percussion instruments have been part of his life. Traditional music from the Pyrenees and an interest to learn songs and music close to his birthplace have been his goal.

After finishing his academic musical studies in Barcelona (Music Teaching in UB, Taller de Músics and speciality in jazz drums in Esmuc), he does some training on improvisation and performance in Holland (Dutch Impro Academy in The Hague and workshops in Amsterdam).

Meanwhile, he plays in several projects from different musical scopes, especially in contemporary jazz and improvisation. From some years on, he has focused on the review of Catalan speaking territories musical tradition, specially Pyrenean, from a contemporary point of view. Two worlds, the root music and musical experimentation, that melt in a sole music.

Some of his highlighted projects are David Mengual Resolut Trio, Joana Gomila Folk Souvenir, El Pont d’Arcalís, Inxa Impro Quintet, Rufaca Folk Jazz Orchestra, Kepa Junkera “Fok”, Free Art Ensemble or Joan Francés Tisnèr.

Besides his involvement in these and other projects as a musician, Arnau Obiols also composes and arranges and has edited two discs: Arnau Obiols ‘Projecte Pirene’ (Aladid Records, 2013) and Arnau Obiols ‘Libèrrim’ (Aladid Reords, 2015).

Interdisciplinary projects are also common within his work. He has performed with contemporary dance artists, poets, cinema artists or drama groups with their particular style like Comediants. However, it is when he performs in nature that he has found a way to express his way of thinking about life and the world. He has created pieces like: Rocs d’Alendo Suite “Solo en set moviments” (2014) or Ofrena (2016) among others.

Arnau Obiols is involved in activism and cultural dynamization. In that sense, he is the artistic director of Festival Trama “Mostra de músiques de les muntanyes d’Europa” in Bellver de Cerdanya and organizer of the festival Art a pinyó “art, bicicletes, Pirineu” in la Seu d’Urgell. He has founded the creative label Butzurada.

Presently, he is still active by taking part in different projects as well as being involved in musical teaching and cultural activism. It is to highlight his last personal project: Tost (Microscopi, 2019) “cants, músiques i sons del Pirineu català”, one step beyond in the development of this Pyrenean music in which he forges a kind of intimal musical rite. Tost is a solo where Obiols sings songs that he has learnt from his grandmothers and throughout research. He plays the drums and other musical instruments that bring us to the ancestral Pyrenees and completes it with work field recordings from nature. A primitive while modern art. In addition, for some time, Arnau Obiols has developed an interest for plastic arts by designing posters, paintings or objects close to visual poetry.

Tracklist:
01. Arnau Obiols - Saba (3:39)
02. Arnau Obiols - Vaig al Bosc (0:59)
03. Arnau Obiols - Lo Moliner I la Molinera de Llavorsí (2:08)
04. Arnau Obiols - El Ganivet de Dos Talls (5:40)
05. Arnau Obiols - Cant de Llaurar (3:15)
06. Arnau Obiols - Corranda dels Xolladors (2:40)
07. Arnau Obiols - La Dida (3:06)
08. Arnau Obiols - El Cabrer (5:47)
09. Arnau Obiols - Pregària Per Fer Ploure (5:18)
10. Arnau Obiols - Non, Non, Canta la Mare (2:23)
11. Arnau Obiols - Cant de Batre (2:36)