‘EA!’s individual character may be attributed to the fact that the band grew out of a group of people who made a conscious decision to live a simple life close to nature in the remote regions of the Sierra Nevada – far from the turbulence of today’s big cities. ‘EA!’s sound was born in Las Alpujarras and nurtured in the waters of Cádiz. It draws as much from Mediterranean sources as from those of the Atlantic.
Pilar La Mónica (originally from the Spanish city of Cádiz) and guitarist Juan José Madrera had been living this withdrawn life for some years, when at a large celebration held by their friends they found themselves providing the music. Their spontaneous guest appearance met not only with the very vocal approval of the party-goers, but also brought immediate invitations to other events.
The pair soon called on the services of a dancer and a second guitarist and the original line-up of ‘EA!’ was born. In 1994, when recording a CD in Almería, the band met and got to know the guitarist Iván Vallejo, who at that time was playing in the Spanish crossover group Planeta Fritanga. He and his younger brother Nacho, a flutist, soon joined ‘EA!’
Shortly thereafter, the group moved to Madrid, where percussionist Carlos Rey joined the troupe. On Agüita (pronounced ah-gweeta), ‘EA!’ is joined by a number of guest musicians who add a myriad of world music sounds to the album. Darbuka, congas, cow bells, and bouzouki combine with traditional Flamenco instruments, creating a colorful and exciting musical experience.
In 2004, the band started its own label, Eamusica.
Discography:
Oripandó (Big Bang/Tinder Records, 1996)
Agüita (Nubenegra, 1999)
La vida (Gran Via, 2002)
Un sentir (Warner Music, 2004)
Universo (Eamusica, 2008)
Anda Luz (Eamusica, 2017)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.