40 years

Music

Violin, block flute, acoustic guitar on 6 & 12 strings, bass and percussion: that is farfarello!!
Mani Neumann (violin and block flute) and Ulli Brand (guitar), the founders of farfarello musical band, have over more than 30 years won European and international fame. Their musical style is so unique that any conventional presentation is almost impossible to make. Through their music, farfarello create an archaic, rough, free of cliches sound, being a combination of East – European folklore and contemporary influences: traditional music, jazz, rock and classic music.
Since 1982 farfarello have released 18 albums, 4 dvds and have played 3500 concerts all over the world. Mani Neumann and Ulli Brand brought to the scene, in different musical styles (trio, quartet, and even symphonic orchestras), great names like the famous drummers Mike Barsimanto and Herb Quick, or the singer Chris Thompson (Manfred Mann’s Earth Band) and many others.

„If we want to play „Ciocârlia”, a very fast Romanian traditional folk song, I first have to talk to my fingers. Sometimes my fingers reject my authority. I try to talk to them just like I talk to my friends, but they say „yes“ and then they behave like crazy during the concert. They are united, thinking they are four against one.“

Mani Neumann, the German musician also called The Devil’s Violinist (Der Teufelsgeiger), is considered a master of violin and block flute. His style on the violin is explosive, unusual, and impossible to copy. Through his instrument he vibes with every step he takes. Whether melancholic or wild, exciting or impetuous – his playing is always authentic. In his career, he has been awarded MTV- Lifetime Award prize and was decorated by the President of Romania with the Knight order for outstanding cultural merits which he has brought to Romania as member of the legendary band “Phoenix”. Since 1982 he has played with Ulli Brand under the name farfarello.

„Our music is understandable all over the world, because our instruments tell the story. The musical arrangement needs the echo effect as an integrated part of the melody. We use this effects to create the music. The quaint effect and the echoes are part of the composition. It is a kind of rhythm. It is like a sequence.“

Ulli Brand is considered one of the best guitarists in Europe, being well-known for the unique way he plays the 6 & 12 string acoustic guitar. With skills and sensibility he merges the sounds of the acoustic guitar with different effects of polyphonic echo. Through this combination, Ulli makes the farfarello sound unique, authentic and original. Keeping the harmony and the bass with only one acoustic guitar, he succeeds in replacing an entire orchestra. The best example for this can be seen in his solo from the song “Durchzug“, where he gives the feeling that there are several guitar players on the stage and not only one. Other musical bands where Ulli plays are: Strinx – a guitar duo formed with Stefan Wiesbrock and “Aerotones” – a harmonica quartet, where he plays the guitar and harmonica.

The famous Nippy Noya (percussion), first played on the scene when he was 10. Over the years he has recorded more than 200 discs with world famous musicians. He, played with John McLaughlin, Jan Akkerman, Billy Cobham, Chaka Khan and Andy Summers from Police. Marcin Wyrostek (accordion), is the most appreciated musician in Poland at this moment. He won the 2009 edition of „Poland’s Got Talent“. He works with Tango Corazon Quintet and Coloriage. Marcin can be heard on farfarello’s latest album „Glück“. Martin Verdonk, another remarkable percussionist who collaborated with farfarello, worked also with Santana, Steve Winwood, Prince and can be heard with an outstanding percussion solo on the farfarello album „Unter dem Flüsterbogen“. Ulf Stricker (drums), is a first rate musician being highly appreciated in jazz, pop, rock, and world music. He played on the same scene with Bob Mintzer, Peter Weniger, Frank McComb, Stevie Woods, Dave Weckl, Thomas Lang, Gavin Harrison, Kirk Covington, Oboja Adu & Obonixx and many others.