Carlos Nunez Munoz

Carlos Núñez Muñoz (Vigo, Pontevedra, July 16, 1971) is a Spanish musician, and an expert Galician bagpiper. He began with the recorders, and later, at the age of eight, with the Galician bagpipe. At the age of thirteen he was discovered by The Chieftains, at the Auditorio de Castrelos, in Vigo, and began his career in music, which he continues to this day.

Núñez is considered a scholar of Celtic music. His investigations basically follow two interrelated lines: the origin of Celtic music and its fusion with current world music. His interest in the subject has led him to travel the globe and interact with musicians and artists from the countries he has visited, to later translate his knowledge and experiences into his prolific discography and La hermandad de los Celtas, a book published in 2018 where he captures his musicological research on these topics.

Biography

The grandson of the writer and educator Albino Núñez Domínguez, he studied at the Martín Codax School in Vigo and at the Álvaro Cunqueiro Institute. At the age of twelve he was invited to play in the Lorient Symphony Orchestra and in 1989 he recorded together with the Irish group The Chieftains, the soundtrack for the film Treasure Island (1990) . With this group he would continue collaborating until he was known as the seventh Chieftain . Núñez also completed his training in academic teaching, obtaining the qualification of Honors and Extraordinary End of Degree Award (Cum Laude) in the recorder instrument by the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid.

Record work

He began his musical apprenticeship on the flute and at the age of eight, he took the next step, as he says, starting with the bagpipes. In a performance at the Auditorio de Castrelos, in Vigo, his hometown, he was discovered by The Chieftains, and that began his musical career. He went to Ireland for the first time, in 1989, to record the soundtrack for the movie Treasure Island with this group.

In 1996, he published his first album, A Irmandade das Estrelas, which marked the boom of Celtic music in Spain. On this album, Núñez focuses above all on exploring his native Galicia with Irish contributions.

In his next album, Os amores libres (1999), Núñez presents a reflection on the Celtic concept, exploring, among other things, the connections between traditional Galician music and flamenco. The texts that accompany the songs on this album are written by the writer Manuel Rivas.

In 2000 and with the publication of Mayo Longo, with Núñez already established as a renowned musician with international projection, the piper composed a song with former Supertramp Roger Hodgson. This album is a return to the Galician tradition and simplicity and stood out mainly for being introduced to the radio-musical formulas of the moment.

Their next studio album is Almas de Fisterra, released in 2003, and in France as Un Galicien en Bretagne, with a slightly different track list. This album is the result of a long stay of the musician in Brittany, France, in which traditional Breton music recorded together with renowned musicians from French Brittany are shown.

Carlos Núñez has also released a compilation album of greatest hits with several new tracks called Todos os mundos and in 2004 he released a CD+DVD containing a concert recorded in Vigo under the title Carlos Nunez & Friends with his most emblematic songs. Carlos also participates in the soundtrack of the film Alejandro Amenábar Mar Adentro.

In May 2005, Carlos Núñez published in France, Cinema do mar, dedicated to the interpretation of a selection of famous pieces of classical music (such as the Bolero by Ravel or the Concierto de Aranjuez) and movie soundtracks, spurred on by his participation in Mar Adentro. The inclusion of soundtracks was motivated by the parallels that he finds in the selected pieces and Galician music. We can find a version of La Misión by Ennio Morricone, of The Godfather by Nino Rota or the already usual in the repertoire of The Chieftains "Women of Ireland", by the band sound by Barry Lyndon.

In 2006, he participated in the soundtrack of the Studio Ghibli film Tales of Earthsea by director Gorō Miyazaki, the first feature film by the son of well-known Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki. His collaboration on the soundtrack of said film together with its composer Tamiya Terashima was praised by the general public of cinema and philharmonic music, it earned him good reviews and greater international projection for the Galician artist.

In February 2007, the same week as the Oscars, Carlos Núñez published the Spanish version of "Cinema do mar", different from the French one. Includes tracks featuring Ryuichi Sakamoto and Dulce Pontes that were not included in the 2005 version.

In 2008, he participated in the soundtracks of the films Silk by director François Girard and Me and My Monster by director Jay Russell.

Since approximately 2007, Carlos Núñez has been investigating the Galician connections of Brazilian music. From this research has emerged his new record work, entitled Alborada do Brasil , released on June 16, 2009.

In 2012 he published Discover, a double CD that includes four unpublished songs as well as multiple collaborations with friendly artists outside his own discography, which are unified on this album and takes stock of these early years of his career. It includes 39 songs in which Galician music connects with other cultures for which it has The Chieftains, Sinéad O'Connor, The Waterboys, Omara Portuondo, Compay Segundo, Los Lobos, Carlinhos Brown, Carmen Linares, Vicente Amigo, Carles Benavent, Montserrat Caballé, Jordi Savall, Luz, Ry Cooder, Jackson Browne, Ryuichi Sakamoto or Roger Hodgson from Supertramp.

In 2013, his work "Mambo" was the soundtrack of the Cycling Tour of Spain 2013

Collaborations

Carlos Núñez in Lorient, Brittany.

A fundamental characteristic of Carlos Núñez and his music is collaborating with all kinds of musicians of any nationality, both in the recording of their albums and in their live performances. The Carlos Núñez Band with which he plays live is made up of renowned musicians such as his brother Xurxo Núñez who is a Galician percussionist, Pancho Álvarez, guitarist and violinist and Begoña Riobó, violinist.

Núñez has played with prominent Spanish artists such as Vicente Amigo, Carles Benavent, Luz Casal, Cristian Silva, Kepa Junkera and Carmen Linares. Among the many international musicians with whom he has played or recorded, the Chieftains and their members Paddy Moloney, Sean O'Ríada and Derek Bell stand out. In addition to them, it is worth noting SZA, León Gieco, Dan Ar Braz, Jackson Browne, Phil Cunningham, Liam O'Flynn, Ry Cooder, Ronnie Drew, Frankie Gavin, Roger Hodgson, Paddy Keenan, Joan Manuel Serrat (in Shades of la China), Noa, Anabela Braz Pires, Máirtin O'Connor, Liam O`Flynn, Dulce Pontes, Teresa Salgueiro, Sharon Shannon, Donald Shaw, the Vieja Trova Santiaguera, La Ronda de Motilleja, the Gurrufío Ensemble, the Band de Gaitas de Cea (Orense), Ringorrango and the Royal Bagpipe Band of the Provincial Council of Orense

In the framework of his collaboration with international artists, Carlos Núñez was invited to participate in the "Earth Celebration 2006", an international festival held every summer on the Japanese island of Sado, organized by KODO, famous Japanese taiko group.

In addition, in 2006 he collaborated on the soundtrack of the film Tales of Earthsea, by Gorō Miyazaki.

In 2010, he participated in the creation of the show "El Secreto de la Lanza" (Le Secret de la Lance) in the French theme park of Puy du Fou.

In 2012, he went on his first North American tour together with his brother Xurxo, guitarist Pancho Álvarez and American violinist Katie McNally.

In 2016, he collaborated in Carlos Saura's musical film 'La Jota' starring in a Celtic circle with 20 musicians.

Discography

Solo

• Irmandade das Estrelas (BMG Ariola, 1996)
• Love you free (BMG Ariola, 1999)
• May Longo (BMG Ariola, 2000)
• All worlds (BMG Ariola, 2002)
• Souls of Fisterra (Sony Music, 2003)
• Souls of Fisterra Special Edition (Sony Music, 2003)
• DVD Carlos Núñez & Friends at home (Sony/BMG, 2004)
• Cinema do Mar (French version, 2005)
• Cinema do Mar (Spanish version, February 2007)
• Alborada do Brasil (Sony Music 2009)
• Discover (Sony Music 2012)
• Inter Celtic (2014)

Collaborations

• Matto Congrio (1993)
• The Chieftains - Santiago (1996)
• Alejandro Amenábar - Adentro Sea (2004)
• Memories from Gedo Senki (Anime Film Soundtrack, Gedo Senki, 2007)

Awards and recognitions

• Vigués distinguished in 2007.
• Medalla Castelao in 2013.
• Agapito Marazuela Award in 2016