Presentation
Group founded in 2000 by Núria Berengueras and Angel Riba when, after an extensive and varied musical career, decided to start a new phase. Carolina Oliver and Pere Rodriguez, ex-members as well as "Quatre Veus", completed the first formation.
Also, the creation of the show "Antologia de l’havanera" (Anthology of habanera) with the collaboration of other groups were invited to present in “Teatre Condal” in 1991, and in 1994 in the “Teatre Goya” in Barcelona, with successful and well received by the loving public of sea shanties and especially the habanera.
During those early years, a lot of performances and concerts between those who would highlight the popular habanera recital of Calella de Palafrugell, Palamos and Tarragona, on several occasions, most a total of nine recordings, the last of which was the farewell of the group "Quatre Veus", the concert "20 anys d’havaneres i cançons” (20 Years of Sea Shanties and Songs) " recorded live at the Auditorium of the Centre Cultural de La Caixa, at Granollers (Barcelona) in 1998
Since 2000, Ultramar has made diversity of performances and live concerts.
In 2003 in “L’Espai” (Barcelona), presents the concert "Homenatge a Ortega Monasterio” (where we attended Ortega Monasterio, master teachers) CD title is also the first Ultramar, recorded in 2002 with DiscMedi (record company). A work devoted to J. L. Ortega Monasterio, which includes a selection of Habaneras and Sea Shanties exclusively of the author and composer of many, and such well-known popular hits:
El meu Avi, La Balada d’en Lucas, El Canó de Palamós, etc...
In this work the study group, co-produced by Joan Ramon and Angel Riba participate prominent fellow music professional: Ferran Cubedo, Amado Jaén, Francesc Membrives, Oriol Saña, and collaboration of a special friend, excellent musician and international great singer, Dyango, performing “Meritxel”, accompanied on guitar by the master Ortega Monasterio himself. The summer of 2003, we should mention the participation of Ultramar at the popular “Cantada d’Havaneres de Calella de Palafrugell” in his XXXVII edition.
Accordionist Francesc Membrives collaborating many times in "Ultramar" became part of the group in 2006. During the summer of 2006, Joan Ramon co-producer presented the "La Ruta del Rom: Los Manolos i Ultramar". A perfect combination of Rumbas and Habaneras, which turned out to be a musical show of varied musical rhythm. Two years later Joan Ramon also joined the group.
A good example of the variety of the repertoire of “ULTRAMAR” is their C.D. “Ronda Litoral” recorded in june of 2009 which includes folk songs, habaneras and sailors songs of the Iberian Peninsula. June 2010 was a remarkable perfomance and being invited to the 25 th anniversary “Barcelona cara al mar” the traditional “grand meeting of Habaneras” held in Barcelona´s Port-vell. ULTRAMAR is a group innovative, dynamic and creator with personal style, particulary for the musical arrangements of the songs and the variation of voices in harmony when interpreting original songs, selected from traditional and international repertoire, also incluiding their own compositions or contemporary authors.
For ULTRAMAR, the pursuit to achieve the highest quality and maintain the attention of the more demanding public is the constant concern and fortunately this is rewarded by the warm welcome which a corresponding “encore”. At present ULTRAMAR is composed of four resident components in the regions of el Maresme and el Valles.
Núria Berengueras: Vocal, Guitar
Joan Ramon: Accordion, Vocal
Francesc Membrives: Bass, Guitar, Vocal
Angel Riba: Vocal, percussion