Cesk Freixas Explained

Cesk Freixas
Landscape:yes
Birth Name:Francesc Freixas i Morros
Birth Place:Sant Pere de Riudebitlles, Catalonia
Occupation:Singer-songwriter, politician, writer
Years Active:2004–present

Francesc Freixas i Morros (born 1984, Sant Pere de Riudebitlles, Alt Penedès, Catalonia, Spain) is a Catalan singer-songwriter. Freixas has released a sampler, seven albums, and a series of covers of international singer-songwriters as a contribution to the revitalization of the Protest song in the Catalan-speaking countries.

Biography

Freixas started performing as a member of a Sant Sadurní d'Anoia based band called Pangea. They did mainly rock-song covers.

His first solo performance took place in January 2004 in Igualada. In April 2004, he performed alone for the second time and used the live recordings for the sampler.

Freixas' first album appeared a year later, in 2005: Set voltes rebel (Bullanga Records) (Seven Times a Rebel).

In 2005, together with members of the fairly well-known band called Inadaptats, Freixas created and performed a show to pay homage to the Valencian singer-songwriter Ovidi Montllor.[1]

In 2006, Freixas uploaded a set of covers of international[2] singer-songwriters including Silvio Rodríguez, Víctor Jara, Ovidi Montllor, Raimon, and Bob Marley, under the name of Les veus dels pobles lliures (The Voices of the Free Peoples).[3]

The next two albums have a slightly more modern sound and include some pop-rock songs with a touch of electronic music: El camí cap a nosaltres (The Path Towards Us)[4] (RGB Suports, 2007), and La mà dels qui t'esperen (The Hand of those who await you) (Temps Record, 2009).

The fourth album, Tocats pel foc (Touched by the fire)[5] (Temps Record) appeared in 2012. It features a more live-like sound, with a significant presence of Acoustic guitars. Freixas described it as a homage to Manuel de Pedrolo.[6]

In November 2013, Freixas published his first book: Paraules per a Gaeta (Words for Gaeta), thanks to the Publishing Cooperative Tigre de Paper.[7]

Protesta, the fifth album appeared in May 2014:[8] under two formats:[9] a CD with unedited material and also a DVD of the concert marking a decade of performances.[10] [11] The concert had taken place just after the death of Freixas' father.[12]

Freixas has so far performed over 1500 times.[13] In 2015, he was awarded the Catalan Album of the Year Prize by the Radio Station Ràdio 4,[14] as well as gaining popular recognition; he has won several Enderrock Awards including for Best DVD/Documentary.[15]

The sixth of Freixas' albums, Proposta, was launched in 2017[16] [17] [18] when Freixas became a father.[19]

In 2019 Freixas is presenting his seventh album: Festa Major. [20]

Cesk Freixas has also contributed to several albums either cooperative[21] [22] or by other artists, such as Projecte Mut's 10 anys i bons,[2] #paualpalau by Pau Alabajos, or En les nostres mans, by Andreu Valor.

Political and cultural activities

Cesk Freixas is a member of two political organizations within the Catalan National Left: Candidatura d'Unitat Popular and Coordinadora Obrera Sindical.[23] Cesk Freixas has also expressed his support to Palestinian activists,[24] the Catalan culture and language,[25] [26] and tackling poverty[27] among others.[28]

His political engagement[29] might explain why his concerts have attracted political criticism and allegedly boycott by Spanish Nationalists and Conservatives. In 2009, the Spanish Conservative Party and a Spanish Nationalist Party unsuccessfully tried to have his concert in Figueres cancelled.[30]

Since 2005, he has worked in the production and organization of the Trobada de Cantautors dels Països Catalans, a Gathering or Meeting of Singer-songwriters from all over the Catalan-speaking Countries. Artists such as Quico Pi de la Serra, Jaume Arnella, Miquel Gil, Albert Fibla, Feliu Ventura, and Pau Alabajos have taken part.[31]

In the elections to the Catalan Parliament Freixas has held symbolic responsibilities under the candidacy of CUP in 2012 and 2015.[32] [33] He has also contested or given active support to CUP in Local elections.[34]

Since June 2016, Freixas has also appeared regularly in Catalunya Ràdio[35] and is very active online.[36]

Discography

Books

Awards

Notes and References

  1. News: Enderrock.cat: Toti Soler, Feliu Ventura, i membres d'Obrint Pas i Inadaptats, en el darrer homenatge a Ovidi Montllor des del món alternatiu. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  2. News: Enderrock.cat: L'aniversari en companyia de Projecte Mut. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  3. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas penja sis cançons a internet en homenatge a 'les veus dels pobles lliures'. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  4. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas recorre 'El camí cap a nosaltres'. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  5. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas prepara 'Tocats pel foc'. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  6. News: NacióDigital: Cesk Freixas: "Pedrolo és un referent de l'independentisme d'esquerres". NacióDigital. 19 May 2017. ca.
  7. News: Les paraules de Cesk Freixas per a Gaeta. associats. Partal, Maresma i. VilaWeb.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  8. News: Enderrock.cat: La protesta de Cesk Freixas a L'Auditori. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  9. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas gravarà un CD+DVD en directe el 2014. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  10. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas, La Folie i Sr Chinarro, concerts encisadors. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  11. News: Enderrock.cat: El primer final de gira de Cesk Freixas. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  12. News: El cantautor Cesk Freixas viu el seu concert més difícil i emotiu al cicle enciSAT!. Andreuenc. 19 May 2017. ca.
  13. Web site: CESK FREIXAS. CESK FREIXAS. ca-ES. 19 May 2017.
  14. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas guanya el Disc Català de l'Any de Ràdio 4. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  15. News: Enderrock.cat: El palmarès històric dels Premis Enderrock. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  16. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas, transportant l'esperit d'una terra. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  17. Web site: TV3 Interviews Cesk Freixas. ccma. 19 May 2017.
  18. News: Cesk Freixas presenta la seva 'Proposta'a Girona. Castillón. X.. El Punt Avui. 19 May 2017. ca.
  19. News: Cesk Freixas estrena disc i paternitat. RAC1. 19 May 2017.
  20. Web site: "Festa Major", el nou disc de Cesk Freixas. ceskfreixas. 28 November 2018. Cesk Freixas. ca. 3 January 2019. 4 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190104021345/https://ceskfreixas.cat/2018/11/28/festa-major-el-nou-disc-de-cesk-freixas/. dead.
  21. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas i Pau Alabajos presenten avui a Gràcia Venim del nord, venim del sud. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  22. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas i Roger Mas, protagonistes del Salvem l'Empordà. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  23. Web site: Cesk Freixas: 'Si volem crear coses noves, necessàriament les haurem de crear amb un somriure' El protagonista de la setmana. Tornada. Revista La. www.latornada.cat. ca. 19 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170507234538/http://www.latornada.cat/ca/protagonista-67/cesk-freixas. 7 May 2017. dead.
  24. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas i Marwan, cantautors solidaris amb Palestina. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  25. News: Enderrock.cat: A l'equador del Correllengua amb Dijous Paella i Cesk Freixas. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  26. News: Enderrock.cat: Les sis hores del Camp Nou. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  27. News: Cesk Freixas dóna veu a entitats gironines que treballen per la cohesió social en un concert únic del festival Strenes. Ara.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  28. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas i Pau Alabajos, compromesos. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  29. News: Cesk Freixas: "Em sento representat per Teresa Forcades". Ara.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  30. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas actuarà el proper dissabte a l'Acústica de Figueres. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  31. News: La cançó d'autor protagonitza la nit a Riudebitlles. associats. Partal, Maresma i. VilaWeb.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  32. Web site: Resultats i fitxa. Diari Oficial de la Generalitat de Catalunya. ca-ES. 19 May 2017.
  33. News: Enderrock.cat: Què votaran els músics el 9N?. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  34. News: Enderrock.cat: Músics a les eleccions municipals. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  35. Web site: Cesk Freixas at Catalunya Ràdio. 19 May 2017.
  36. News: Enderrock.cat: Els músics catalans que més ho peten a les xarxes socials. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  37. News: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas presenta el seu nou disc a l'Apolo de Barcelona. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  38. News: Enderrock.cat: El nou disc de Cesk Freixas es dirà La mà dels qui t'esperen. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  39. Web site: Enderrock.cat: Cesk Freixas – Proposta. Enderrock.cat. enderrock.cat. ca. 19 May 2017.
  40. Web site: Paraules per a Gaeta. Tigre de Paper. ca-ES. 19 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171108101906/http://www.tigredepaper.cat/wordpress/paraules-per-a-gaeta/#. 8 November 2017. dead.
  41. Web site: Alè de taronja sencera. ceskfreixas. 4 March 2016. CESK FREIXAS. 19 May 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20160403105325/http://ceskfreixas.cat/2016/03/04/ale-de-taronja-sencera/. 3 April 2016. dead.
  42. Web site: Llegendes i rondalles catalanes d'avui i de sempre | Penguin Llibres.
  43. Web site: VilaWeb – Diari Electrònic Independent. vilaweb.cat. 19 May 2017.
  44. News: La nit dels 'e-nderrock'. associats. Partal, Maresma i. VilaWeb.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  45. News: Enderrock.cat: I la votació popular ha decidit que.... Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  46. News: El penedesenc Cesk Freixas és un dels grans triomfadors en els Premis Enderrock 2013 RTVVilafranca. 25 February 2013. RTVVilafranca. 19 May 2017. ca-ES.
  47. News: Enderrock.cat: Txarango arrasen a la votació popular. Enderrock.cat. 19 May 2017. ca.
  48. Web site: La Llibreria Quera, Diari de la Llengua, Cesk Freixas, Dàmaris Gelabert i Núria Cadenes, Premis Nacionals Joan Coromines 2021. 15 November 2021 .