Effective period / Period of releases: 1994

Members: José Barros (4), João Ramos, Pedro D'Orey (2), Fernando Pereira (15)

Romanças were one of the most important groups in the Portuguese Folk movement, alongside others such as Vai de Roda or Brigada Victor Jara.

The group was formed in 1986 and consisted of Pedro D'Orey (Guitar), Fernando Pereira (Braguesa and Voice), José Barros (Cavaquinho, Braguesa, Mandolin and Voice) and João Ramos (Violin and Flute), all musicians with extensive experience in other projects related to traditional music and beyond.

In 1988 they publish their first album entitled "Romanças", which has the most known theme "Salsa Verde". This work already denotes, in the group, an attempt to escape a certain conventionalism installed in other groups of the kind. It is not a group that limits itself to recreating traditional music, but advances to its own compositions; although influenced by traditional music (but also with the assumption of several European Folk influences, mainly Irish).

In 1991 they released their second long-term work entitled "Monte da Lua". On this record, the Romanças' effort to leave the corset to which some groups in this area are subject is already more visible.

In "Monte da Lua" there are themes like "Salsaparilha", "Trigueirinha", "Monte da Lua", "Xula" and several traditional ones like "Homem Rico", "Saias de S.João" and "D.Varão".

The band does several shows in Portugal and even tours in France and Ireland, playing with some of the great names in the European Folk scene, although their elements never really became professional in music, with the exception of Barros.

Due to internal differences, José Barros leaves the band and goes to one of the formations of the Ronda dos Quatro Caminhos, at the same time that João Ramos starts to accompany the Quadrilha in live shows, a band of which he will later be a full member.

Almost reported as extinct, Romanças will release a third album entitled "Azuldesejo" in which José Salgueiro (ex-Trovante), Fernando Molina, João Luís Lobo and José Carias collaborate.