JORDI MARTÍ - Drums and percussion
Gòtic as seen from the drums
The decade of the 70s of the twentieth century may be considered as the time of the emergence and spread of what has been called "symphonic or progressive rock". Through concerts and recordings of several bands mainly from the Anglo-Saxon cultural sphere, this type of music, full of nuances, magnificent and descriptiv, inspired the young musicians of our country, encouraging them to develop musical ideas that, in addition to sound and rhythmic complexity of progressive rock, got an undercurrent of southern light. Thus, in Catalunya, progressive rock and its various forms were labeled as "Rock Laietano".
Returning to the beginnings of Gòtic, with borrowed instruments and musical memory at full speed, they tried to reproduce as faithfully as possible the parts of his their idols.
At that time, Jordi Vilaprinyó was studying music theory and piano at the local conservatory and already showed a refined taste for the composition; Rafael Escoté started playing his first notes with electric bass, aided by his prodigious musical intuition and Jordi Martí could implement with a real drum kit the knowledge acquired in countless hours spent, since childhood, to strike rhythmically tables, chairs and assorted kitchen pots!.
Encouraged by the success of his first concerts, and driven by his musical obstinacy, the sound of the group was completed with the contribution of the flute of Jep Nuix, a classical trained flute player, but endowed with extraordinary versatility and musical inventiveness. At this point we can say that Gòtic was officially born: a name that connects with the city of Barcelona, where the band lives, and at the same time with the monumental majesty of that architectural style that somehow resonates in how their music was performed.
From this moment on, the group consolidates and begins to work his own compositions, which are developed with the contribution of everyone over starting musical ideas from any of the members of the band. members. Through this process the peculiar sound of the group, with classical music influences, but also full of Mediterranean scent, with alternating fast-paced rhythms and moments of great amalgam lyricism. This creative process involves the interpretation of other people's compositions are definitely shelved and the group's work is fully focused on their own. On the other hand, the musical references have also changed, and the components of value Gòtic increasingly proposals progressive rock as the Italian group "Premiata Forneria Marconi", equipped with a sound and more Mediterranean sensibility.
Besides working with the Gòtic group, its members work together or separately with interpreters of the New Song, which at the moment is at its peak following the political situation brought about by the change of regime. So, accompanied and recorded with groups like "Coses" or interpreters as "Joan Isaac", "Joan Baptista Humet", "Quintin Cabrera", "Lluís Miquel i els 4Z", "Paco Muñoz", etc. It is a time of great social and political ferment that is reflected in the many performances throughout Catalonia that effect during those years.
Fruit of musical rapport achieved in continuous collaboration and creative work with the group Gòtic 1977 and is mature enough to record their first album, "Escenes" which will appear in early 1978 under the label Movieplay. This job gets very positive and enthusiastic reviews and consolidates Gòtic as a leader among the groups of "Rock Laietano". Thus, actions underway in the mythical room Zeleste Silverware street in Barcelona, emblematic headquarters of the musical culture of the time, and in various scenarios, both in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
Some time later, Jep Nuix quits the group and Agustí Brugada and Eugeni Gil join the band. The new members help to consolidate the band’s own rhythmic and melodic proposal. With this lineup, Gòtic participates in the Canet Rock festival held in Summer 1978, and performed several concerts all around the country, getting a very good reception. The new lineup keeps working on elaborate tunes intended to form part of a new LP. These pieces, recorded in demo form on the Gema-1 recording failities and with the invaluable collaboration of their first album engineer Jordi Vidal, were not edited due to the lack of interest by the recording label!
From this moment on, the group consolidates and begins to work his own compositions, which are developed with the contribution of everyone over starting musical ideas from any of the members of the band. members. Through this process the peculiar sound of the group, with classical music influences, but also full of Mediterranean scent, with alternating fast-paced rhythms and moments of great amalgam lyricism. This creative process involves the interpretation of other people's compositions are definitely shelved and the group's work is fully focused on their own. On the other hand, the musical references have also changed, and the components of value Gòtic increasingly proposals progressive rock as the Italian group "Premiata Forneria Marconi", equipped with a sound and more Mediterranean sensibility.
Besides working with the Gòtic group, its members work together or separately with interpreters of the New Song, which at the moment is at its peak following the political situation brought about by the change of regime. So, accompanied and recorded with groups like "Coses" or interpreters as "Joan Isaac", "Joan Baptista Humet", "Quintin Cabrera", "Lluís Miquel i els 4Z", "Paco Muñoz", etc. It is a time of great social and political ferment that is reflected in the many performances throughout Catalonia that effect during those years.
Fruit of musical rapport achieved in continuous collaboration and creative work with the group Gòtic 1977 and is mature enough to record their first album, "Escenes" which will appear in early 1978 under the label Movieplay. This job gets very positive and enthusiastic reviews and consolidates Gòtic as a leader among the groups of "Rock Laietano". Thus, actions underway in the mythical room Zeleste Silverware street in Barcelona, emblematic headquarters of the musical culture of the time, and in various scenarios, both in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.
Some time later, Jep Nuix quits the group and Agustí Brugada and Eugeni Gil join the band. The new members help to consolidate the band’s own rhythmic and melodic proposal. With this lineup, Gòtic participates in the Canet Rock festival held in Summer 1978, and performed several concerts all around the country, getting a very good reception. The new lineup keeps working on elaborate tunes intended to form part of a new LP. These pieces, recorded in demo form on the Gema-1 recording failities and with the invaluable collaboration of their first album engineer Jordi Vidal, were not edited due to the lack of interest by the recording label!
Martí: Mini bio
He also works during that period play lots of gigs and and recording with singers as Joan Isaac, Chema Puron, Joan Baptista Humet, the Coses band, Paco Muñoz, Lluís Miquel and the 4Z, etc.
In 1979 quits Gòtic and starts professional activities not related to music. At the same time, takes classes of drums and percussion with Uruguayan drummer Aldo Caviglia, with which participates in the first two editions of the International Jazz Seminar (Banyoles, 1980-1981), organized by the Taller de Musics in Barcelona, and with the participation of teachers as Thad Jones, Americo Bellotto, Bill Goodwin and Larry Porter.
His growing interest in the language of jazz led him to join, in 1983, in a combo of Taller de Musics of Barcelona. With some components of it a few years later forms the "Jazzquemandit" group, which does gigs as a quartet at several clubs in Barcelona. In parallel, joins the group “La Nocturna“, dedicated to the interpretation of danceable jazz. At the same time, it does private drum lessons to several students, some of whom, such as Guillermo McGill, years later will shine in the field of jazz music.
Necrosis in his left wrist involves an operation in April 1993, forcing him to left music for a few years, fearing he cannot play drums again. Fortunately recovered, by the end of the 90s form with his two sons and a nephew, the "Les Llagastes del Farró”, group devoted to the performance of traditional and popular music for parties all around.
At the end of 2009 he ceases its professional non-musical activity and shortly after that he joined the group "Ai l'as" dedicated to children's entertainment and the interpretation of traditional and popular music for animation festivals and events. With this group he continues working nowadays.