Amaral (music group)
Encyclopedia
Amaral is an award-winning music group from Zaragoza
, Spain
who have sold more than four million albums worldwide. The band consists of Eva Amaral
(vocalist) and Juan Aguirre
(guitarist
), who write their songs together. Eva Amaral started out as a drummer
in another group until she set out with Aguirre to perform her own material in 1997. They then moved to Madrid
and signed a major deal with EMI
. Amaral's musical style is often called pop rock
, but it is often fused with Latin
beats, folk rock
, synthesizers, complex poetic
lyrics
and in particular, traditional Spanish
folk music
. Juan Aguirre was born in San Sebastián
(also known as Donostia) in the Guipúzcoa province of Spain. He spent his childhood in the town of Gros
and currently resides in Zaragoza
, while Eva originates from Zaragoza. Amaral have won numerous awards including the MTV Europe Music Award for their 2002 album Estrella de mar which was nominated for 5 other categories, and are one of the best-selling Spanish groups of all time. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, one (double) live album and two live DVD
s.
Live albums:
Special editions:
EPs:
DVDs & Blu Rays:
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
who have sold more than four million albums worldwide. The band consists of Eva Amaral
Eva Amaral
Eva María Amaral Lallana is a Spanish singer-songwriter, and member of the group Amaral with Juan Aguirre.She studied sculpture studies at the Art School of Zaragoza. During this time, she was a member of the band Bandera Blanca, where she was the drummer. In 1993, she met the guitarist Juan...
(vocalist) and Juan Aguirre
Juan Aguirre
Juan Vicente García Aguirre is a Spanish musician and songwriter. He is best known for being one-half of the Spanish group Amaral with its namesake Eva Amaral....
(guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
), who write their songs together. Eva Amaral started out as a drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
in another group until she set out with Aguirre to perform her own material in 1997. They then moved to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
and signed a major deal with EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. Amaral's musical style is often called pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
, but it is often fused with Latin
Latin American music
Latin American music, found within Central and South America, is a series of musical styles and genres that mixes influences from Spanish, African and indigenous sources, that has recently become very famous in the US.-Argentina:...
beats, folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, synthesizers, complex poetic
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
and in particular, traditional Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. Juan Aguirre was born in San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
(also known as Donostia) in the Guipúzcoa province of Spain. He spent his childhood in the town of Gros
Gros
Gros could refer to:* Gros , Medieval coinage* Persons that have the last name Gros or le Gros:** Antoine-Jean Gros, French painter** Charles III le Gros, 9th Century European king...
and currently resides in Zaragoza
Zaragoza
Zaragoza , also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza Province and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Spain...
, while Eva originates from Zaragoza. Amaral have won numerous awards including the MTV Europe Music Award for their 2002 album Estrella de mar which was nominated for 5 other categories, and are one of the best-selling Spanish groups of all time. As of 2011, they have released six studio albums, one (double) live album and two live DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s.
Collaborations
Amaral has collaborated with many well-known artists in the music industry:- Tony Beard (Mike OldfieldMike OldfieldMichael Gordon Oldfield is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age, and more recently, dance. His music is often elaborate and complex in nature...
, Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
), on drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Peter BuckPeter BuckPeter Lawrence Buck , is an American rock guitarist who is best known for playing in and co-founding alternative rock band R.E.M....
, on the song Doce palabras, from the album Gato Negro Dragón Rojo - ChetesChetesLuis Gerardo Garza Cisneros , better known as his stage name Chetes, is a Mexican rock musician, well known for being the leader of the influential Avanzada Regia rock bands Zurdok, Vaquero and eventually, his own solo career.-Biography:Chetes grew up in the Bay Area...
, on the song Si Tú No Vuelves, from the album Pajaros en la Cabeza - Danny CummingsDanny Cummings-Musical biography:The first Latin percussion instrument that Danny Cummings ever acquired was a second-hand conga he persuaded his parents to buy him for his 21st birthday. "I remember thinking that black fiberglass drum marked the beginning of a new era for me," says Cummings...
(Mark KnopflerMark KnopflerMark Freuder Knopfler, OBE is a Scottish-born British guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer and film score composer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter for the British rock band Dire Straits, which he co-founded in 1977...
, Bryan AdamsBryan AdamsBryan Adams, is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, guitarist, bassist, producer, actor and photographer. Adams has won dozens of awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations. He has also received 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written...
), on percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Melvin Duffyel (Robbie WilliamsRobbie WilliamsRobert Peter "Robbie" Williams is an English singer-songwriter, vocal coach and occasional actor. He is a member of the pop group Take That. Williams rose to fame in the band's first run in the early- to mid-1990s. After many disagreements with the management and certain group members, Williams...
, Sting), on pedal steel guitarPedal steel guitarThe pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"... - Echo String Quartet, on stringsString instrumentA string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
. - Antonio EscobarAntonio EscobarAntonio Escobar Núñez is an award-winning Spanish music producer, sound designer and composer, for advertising, film, TV and recording artistes, whose music features rock, electronica, pop, dance, Latin and orchestral influences.-Biography:...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
on the album Hacia lo salvaje - Russell MiltonRussell MiltonRussell Milton is an English former professional footballer, born in Folkestone, who played as a midfielder in the Hong Kong First Division League for Instant-Dict and scored 14 goals from 117 games in the Football League for Cheltenham Town...
(The WaterboysThe WaterboysThe Waterboys are a band formed in 1983 by Mike Scott. The band's membership, past and present, has been composed mainly of musicians from Scotland, Ireland and England. Edinburgh, London, Dublin, Spiddal, New York, and Findhorn have all served as homes for the group. The band has played in a...
), on bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, on the single Escapar ("Slipping Away") - Danny Shogger (George MichaelGeorge MichaelGeorge Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
, Paul McCartneyPaul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
), on keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
Discography
Studio albums:- 1998 AmaralAmaral (album)Amaral is the self-titled debut studio album from Spanish Folk rock group Amaral released in 1998 in Spain.- Amaral :# "Rosita" – 2:55# "Un día más" - 4:21# "Voy a acabar contigo" - 3:52# "Cara a cara" - 3:23# "Tardes" - 4:06...
- 2000 Una pequeña parte del mundoUna pequeña parte del mundoUna pequeña parte del mundo is the second studio album from Spanish Folk rock group Amaral, released in 2000 in Spain.- Track listing :All tracks composed by Amaral, except Nada de nada, composed by Evangelina Sobredo....
- 2002 Estrella de marEstrella de marEstrella de mar is the third studio album from Spanish folk rock group Amaral released in Spain during 2002. Led by the first single and #1 hit "Sin Ti No Soy Nada", Estrella de Mar became the duo's breakthrough album, selling more than 1 million of copies in Spain alone...
- 2005 Pájaros en la cabezaPájaros en la cabezaPájaros en la cabeza is the fourth studio album from Spanish Folk Rock group Amaral released in Spain during 2005.- Track listing :#"El universo sobre mí" — #1 Pájaros en la cabeza is the fourth studio album from Spanish Folk Rock group Amaral released in Spain during 2005.- Track listing...
- 2008 Gato negro dragón rojoGato Negro Dragón RojoGato negro dragón rojo the fifth studio album from Spanish Folk rock group Amaral. It was released in Spain during 2008. All recording and album mastering was completed on 25 April 2008..-Release:...
(double albumDouble albumA double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
) - 2011 Hacia lo salvaje (Into The Wild)
Live albums:
- 2009 La barrera del sonido
Special editions:
- 2006 Caja Especial Navidad
EPs:
- 2009 Granada (EP)
DVDs & Blu Rays:
- 2005 El comienzo del big bang: Gira 2005
- 2009 La barrera del sonido
External links
- Official Website in Spanish