N.H.U. -

N.H.U. was a Spanish symphonic/jazz-rock band that released a 1978 self-titled album on Novola.

Members: Tino Grandío (bass), Roberto Abal (guitar), Xurxo Pérez (Hammond, keyboards), Xosé Garea [aka Xosé Ferreiro] (drums, vocals), Julio Garea [aka Xulio Ferreiro] (percussion), Antonio Fernández [aka Bretch] (guitar), Xoan Piñón Prado (guitar, 1974-76), Emilio Cao (violin), Jesús Alonso [aka Cuchús Pimentel] (guitar), Ricardo Máiz (drums)

Formation

N.H.U. formed in 1974 in Santiago de Compostela from Question, a local blues-and-jazz group in the school-and-club circuit. Guitarist Roberto Abal and singer Xosé Ferreiro Garea had won a 1970 school contest with a José Feliciano number before they formed Los Trucos, the direct precursor to Question. Question included Abal and Ferreiro with rhythm guitarist Antón Porteiro, bassist Emilio Cao, and drummer Ricardo Máiz. Bassist Tino Grandío replaced Cao after the Question period and played his first concert with the group at Colegio Manuel Peleteiro, where he studied.

After a handful of concerts, the group adopted N.H.U., initials drawn from Una Hermosa Noche in reverse and from the English group name It’s a Beautiful Day. By 1974, N.H.U. centered on guitarist Abal, bassist Grandío, drummer-singer Ferreiro, and Hammond organist Xurxo Pérez. The musicians occupied an abandoned house on the road to the Conxo psychiatric hospital for rehearsals. N.H.U. booked discotheques, village fiestas, weddings, and dance halls with a practical repertory built for paid work. Those jobs funded Marshall columns, a Gibson Les Paul, and a Fender Jazz Bass.

Military service disrupted N.H.U. between 1975 and 1976. Guitarist Antonio Fernández “Brecht” entered during early lineup changes, followed by guitarist Xoán Piñón, who left in 1976 to finish his studies and later joined DOA. Percussionist Xulio Ferreiro Garea joined before the album lineup formed, while guitarist Cuchús Pimentel and drummer Ricardo Máiz passed through the group at different points. By 1978, N.H.U. had reached a five-piece lineup of Abal, Grandío, Ferreiro, Pérez, and Xulio Ferreiro for the Zafiro/Novola sessions that produced the group’s self-titled album.

N.H.U.

N.H.U. released their self-titled album in 1978 on Novola.

The album contains six group-arranged pieces by guitarist Roberto Abal, drummer-vocalist Xosé Ferreiro, keyboardist Xurxo Pérez (organ, keyboards), percussionist Xulio Ferreiro, and bassist Tino Grandío. Pérez, Abal, Xosé Ferreiro, and Grandío wrote or co-wrote the full program.

N.H.U. runs on mostly instrumental forms, with irregular meters, abrupt sectional pivots, sparse Galician vocal passages, and an acid-edged organ/guitar axis. “Na Terra do Verde Chan” glides through a nocturnal opening with a measured cadence and a suspended, dream-dark tone. “A Titiritada” clenches into tighter rhythmic geometry, as Hammond figures and warped leads trade short, unstable phrases. “Friky & Alexo” climbs and drops through sudden dynamic shelves, with mystery-toned passages cut by harder ensemble accents.

“Doente” recites Galician text within outre soundscapes, with spoken lines set against shadowed harmonic turns. “Hay un Tren” coils around controlled disorder, acoustic figures, and redemptive voice placement. “A Trancas e Barrancas” erupts in a closing ascent, with frantic organ motion, dense ensemble strikes, and a final in-crescendo release.

A1. “Na Terra do Verde Chan” [In the Land of the Green Ground] (10:22) – Pérez, Abal, Xosé Ferreiro, Grandío
A2. “A Titiritada” [The Shivering One] (2:52) – Abal, Xosé Ferreiro, Grandío
A3. “Friky & Alexo” (7:45) – Abal, Grandío

B1. “Doente” [Sick] (5:31) – Grandío, Pérez
B2. “Hay un Tren” [There Is a Train] (5:33) – Xosé Ferreiro, Abal
B3. “A Trancas e Barrancas” [With Great Difficulty] (7:05) – Pérez, Grandío, Xosé Ferreiro, Abal

N.H.U. arranged the album with technician Vicente Cruz for Abrente.

N.H.U. appeared in a gatefold cover designed by V. Cores with photography by Ansa Studio. The front cover shows the five members as high-contrast portraits in yellow, red, green, and dark blue; the inner spread pairs a rehearsal-room band photograph with an outdoor group image.

Discography: