Oregon Music News

Listen to Marinela from their EP Toque Libre

In days gone by (late ’90s-early ’00s), there was a major Latin-funk band from Portland called Rubberneck that was hugely popular, would sell out the Crystal Ballroom, worked 200 gigs a year and came that close to breaking out nationally.

The Ojeda brothers, singer/guitarist Ricardo and bassist/singer Pablo, are back and have added Iranian-born Mehdi Farjami to an acoustic Latin trio they call Toque Libre which they say is “a Flamenco musical term meaning ‘free form.’”

The brothers, originally from Chile, with Farjami, combine many Latin styles…Flamenco, Afro-Cuban, Rumba and others into an attractive package of guitars and vocals.

Farjami was born Shiraz, Iran, and remembers hearing his the first musical performance at age 7…a great Santoor player in Iran. He plays Santoor and Tomback and has studied Persian music for many years. He started playing the Guitar at the age of 15, influenced mainly by Rock, Blues and Jazz. Along the way he developed a passion for Flamenco and joined the Ojedas.

The trio has been playing places like the Camellia Lounge of the Tea Zone, the Heathman and recently the Brasserie Montmartre. Last Saturday night, Farjami was out of town and the seldom-seen, but always welcome Ward Griffiths was on percussion (including washboard…a great touch).

Seeing Griffiths was a treat. She played with the Quadraphonnes the weekend before.