GUITARIST / COMPOSER / IMPROVISER
Barcelona, 1965.
My grandfather (Josep Baiget) was my first teacher. I studied musical language and harmony with him and then classical guitar with several teachers (Jordi Belza, Mariano Capella, Guillem Pérez-Quer, William Waters, Danielle Kassner), modern music (Joan Munné, Xavier Prats) and flamenco (Manuel Castilla). However, it was exploring by myself how I eventually developed my personal musical language with a special interest focused on improvisation.
I published a first album entitled Space, silence and wind (Liquid Records, Barcelona) in 1999 and, since then, up to ten more recordings leading groups or acting as a soloist.
"It exceeds in originality the usual average of our music scene. Essentially improvised music that seeks to break limits and barriers." - El País
"Progressive music against the tide." - El Periódico de Catalunya
"Healing music made to fill yourself up with." - Arts To Rise
"A fantastic listening experience. Beautiful music imbued with such beauty, austerity and honesty. Very intelligent lines, wonderful moving around musical centers and a great feeling for developments reminding the most beautiful lines of Steve Lacy or Bob Brookmeyer. Wonderful turnings of melodies, clever execution of given material and just a great listening experience!" - Radu Malfatti
"Freedom and discipline, a graphic expression of music and instantaneous composition that is only possible through improvisation, collective creation and, therefore, ideal to be produced live." - Víctor Nubla
"It is very interesting and put me in mind of the area of work Robert Fripp and King Crimson were doing and still do." - David Enthoven
"Very nice atmosphere and sound." - Daniel Filas
"His classical guitar interpretation of "Vessel" by Ralph Towner is simply excellent... warm tone, wonderful (outside!) improvisation, and overall spacious feel and depth. This worthy treatment by Josep-Manel of a fine tune from the mind of the mighty Ralph Towner, with solid groove and wonderfully dissonant passages, is a musical breath of fresh air." - Greg Bannoff
"Suggestive instrumental pieces and exciting improvised passages." - Alan Wing
"Your music is poetic & magical (...) filled with wonder & goodness." - Bruce Soffer