Black Brother celebrates this year the 10th anniversary of the formation, and does so with the release of two very special singles, the first of them, this «Filomena». The origin of this popular song could be in a couplet of the year 1923 written by Manuel Sugrañes and the musician P. Requena (pseudonym of Joan Costa). According to the musician and animator Miqui Giménezex-member of group ‘The ministers of the Raval‘, the erotic version is a pasodoble of 69 stanzas loaded with’ second intentions’ written by J.M. Torrasfrom Castellar del Vallèsi Josep Milà ‘l’Onclo’ from Vilafranca del Penedès. This theme, which has become popular over time in gatherings, meetings, concerts, campfires and taverns and has been covered by groups such as Follim FollamThe ministers of the Raval or The Absenteesnow comes from the hand of Germà Negre with a festive and electric adaptation with the collaboration of the Flora Sempere from El Diluvi. On this occasion, the group aims to spread popular culture and the torn, carefree and muddy approach of the time when songs like this were sung, in contrast to a society that is increasingly critical.
Black Brother was born in 2012 a Banyoles with the intention of filling the festivals around the country with folk dances and songs. The project is characterized by taking life and music with a healthy irony, making use of that most torn repertoire and with clear irreverent tips that are part of the sound map of the Catalan countries. Always with the intention of telling stories through music, in the repertoire we can find ingredients that appeal to social and political vindication.
With clear references such as Squirrels, Folk group, La Trinca, Al Tal, Ointment O Mixed, among others, Germà Negre uses a sound loaded with grounding. Using instruments such as the violin, diatonic accordion and tenor, which give a Mediterranean color to a repertoire that alternates very personal versions of popular music classics with their own song, with stylistic lines ranging from jota in the blues, pasodoble, reggae or chachachà.
From the beginning, the group has presented its live show as a proposal that aims to make the public one more asset of the festive experience. Probably the essence of the group lies here. With more than 300 concerts behind him, he has tried to get listeners to participate directly through dance and singing dynamics. During these 10 years, the group has performed mainly at major festivals throughout the principality of Catalonia and festivals of reference in the Catalan music showcase.
Germà Negre has always combined his tours with recordings and shows that bring the group closer to other formats and concepts of live music, which demonstrates his interest in the artistic versatility of the project. After a 2019 with all the uncertainties in the world, the group has released in 2021 their latest record ‘Obscene spicy, love and sorrow‘, an album that has been accompanied by a tour of 25 concerts adapted to the restrictions of the covid-19. The show reviews other albums of the group and opts for a dynamic format with the aim of reviving the public the essence of the festival.
This 2022 the group celebrates its 10th anniversary with the release of two singles and a tour that aims to recover the most festive pieces from their repertoire and conquer the squares by dancing and singing collective songs of now and forever.