Latin America and the Basque Street

This note was published at EITb:

Kepa Junkera presents new album 'Kalea'

The musician from Bilbao counts on figures such as Pablo Milanés, who sings on the popular 'Txoria Txori' by Mikel Laboa, Lila Downs, and Juanes, who performs 'Aldapeko'.

Kalea, which was presented on November 19 in the Basque Country, is the second part of the trilogy that Bilbao musician Kepa Junkera began one year ago with Etxea.

This time Junkera has travelled to America to meet and record with many unique artists, singers who have sung in Euskera (Basque language) some of the most famous traditional Basque songs.

A total of 82 artists, singers and musicians from 11 different countries, Chile, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Guatemala, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Cuba, and Brazil, accompany Junkera in the album. Those singers are Juanes, Lila Downs, Pablo Milanés, Ximena Sariñana, Abel Pintos, Adriana Varela, Georgina Hassan, Hilda Lizarazu, Juan Carlos Baglietto, Liliana Herrero, Liliana Vitale, Pedro Aznar, Sandra Milhanovich, Sebas Bereciartua, Victor Vitico Bereciartua, Fabiana Cozza, Fabio Caddore, Ivan Lins, Kadu Viana, Magda Pucci, Cris Miguel, Sandra Oak, Angélica Leutwiller, Zuzu Abu, Sarah Abreu, Joel Teixeira, Edson Penha, Renato Bráz, Vander Lee, Flavia Maia, Giba Alves, Mariah Rocha, Heloiza Ribeiro, Patricia Sosa, Leon Gieco, Manuel García Herrera, Jorge Villamizar, Ele, Eme, Gerardo Alfonso, Mayito, Martha Gonzalez, Miguel Inzunza, Susana Baca, Pamela Rodriguez, Nora Sarmoria and María Márquez.

Musicians such as Lito Vitale, Celso Duarte, Leonardo Amuedo, Barbatuques, Carlinhos Antunes, Armando Marçal, Da Lua, Ernesto Snajer and so many others have collaborated in this record, something that is a true reflection of a project that transcends the barrier of an ancestral language.

Kalea is a double CD with 24 songs published in a deluxe format including an extensive booklet with texts and reviews of each song and its lyrics in Basque and Spanish language.

Eitb.com gives you the possibility of listening to the first single of Kalea: "Aita San Antonio", recorded together with Pamela Rodriguez and Brazilian percussion group Barbatuques.

.... ... .

Basque Orchestra in Scotland

Well, seems like this summer Scotland will be under the spell of the Basque culture. We just mentioned an article about a Basque delegation to the Inverness Highland Games and now thanks to EiTB we learn about the Basque Youth Orchestra being invited to perform in Aberdeen:

Basque Youth Orchestra to perform in Scotland

E. S.

The Basque Youth Orchestra is starting the summer season on July 26 in its homeland. After performing in the three Basque capitals, its members will be touring around Scotland.

The Basque Youth Orchestra (EGO in their initials in Basque) is starting its summer season on July 26 at the Principal Theatre in Vitoria-Gasteiz. After performing in the three Basque capitals (Bilbao -July 27, Euskalduna Palace-, Donostia-San Sebastian -July 29, Kursaal-) and at the Urko Sports Centre of Sopelana on July 28, its members will be touring around Scotland.

The orchestra is taking part at the Aberdeen International Festival in Scotland, an event aimed to support the young in the world of arts, as the EGO said in a statement. Over 30,000 people are expected to visit a ten-day long festival which counts on more than 70 events scheduled.

From August 1 to 5, the young orchestra will be performing in venues such as 'His Majesty's Theatre in Aberdeen or at the 'Perth Concert Hall' in the Scottish town of the same name. The EGO will be accompanied by other European bands like the Northhollands Youth Orchestra, the Iceland Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland or the Inverness Youth Orchestra.

.... ... .

Txalaparta and Basquetronic

This article was published at The Guardian:

Crystal Fighters (No 572)

This east London five-piece bring traditional Basque folk music screaming and kicking into the 21st century by fusing it with heavy dance rhythms and synthesisers

Paul Lester

Hometown: East London.

The lineup: Laure (vocals), Sebastian (lead vocals), Mimi (vocals), Graham (programming, txalaparta), Gilbert (synths, txalaparta).

The background: Have you ever wondered what would happen if you went back, say, 100 years and dropped a ton of modern recording equipment plus a copy of Mixmag into an obscure hamlet in the heart of the Basque region of Spain and left the villagers, steeped as you'd expect in folk music, to their own devices? No? Fair enough. To be honest, we hadn't given it much thought ourselves until we heard Crystal Fighters, the third great "Crystal" band of the century so far after Crystal Castles and Crystal Stilts. A five-piece comprising three gentlemen – two English and one American – and two Spanish girls, Crystal Fighters take the notion of melding folk and funk to another level. Hearing them bash their txalapartas (instruments made out of wood or stone) in time to programmed beats as bowel-loosening basslines burble underneath and voices shout in euphoric disharmony over the top, you do indeed feel as though you've wandered into a rave in a forest in early 20th-century rural Galdakao. And, oh look, there's a gimlet-eyed peasant, grinning as he leafs through a copy of that dance bible that we airdropped in earlier, wondering what the Spanish is for "subsonic boom-bap".

What Crystal Fighters do isn't a million miles away from Crystal Castles-meet-CSS. Their single Xtatic Truth has the ecstatic rush and mental electronic FX of the former and the excitable unison vocals of the latter, with the extra dimension you get from five members banging away on those txalapartas. "We make fast dance music with Basque instruments, synthesisers and our voices," they explain, adding that they fuse heavy dance rhythms with traditional folk melodies and chants gleaned from old Basque sheet music. "We're interested in using this music from a small community that's been handed down through generations. There are lots of Basque dances that are 200-300 years old and we use their eerie melodies, and play around with them until we find the bit that resonates most with us, which might be a two-bar or two-note phrase."

It all sounds simple enough, and it is, until you get to the part where they attempt to explain where they get the ideas for their songs from. Apparently, singer Laure was going through her late grandfather's possessions somewhere deep in Basque country when she came across an unfinished opera he'd been writing called Crystal Fighters. "The faded manuscript and the prophetic prose contained within quickly became an obsession," she said. Now her band are trying to bring some of the quality of his wild, dishevelled poetry to bear on London's trendy indie-dance scene. So far, so good: they recorded a live session for Radio 1, their live shows are becoming the stuff of legend and their online hit I Love London was voted one of the top 100 records of 2008 by Mixmag – the only unreleased entry in the list, ahead of the likes of Toddla T and Bloc Party.

The buzz: "Instead of sucking at the teat of dance music's rinsed-out tech boobies, they play a carnivalesque amalgam of all the best bits of ghetto house, punk, Latin electro, South American and Basque folk traditions."

The truth: It's positively Basquetronic.

Most likely to: Advertise txalapartas on Basque TV.

Least likely to: Go on a package tour with Crystal Castles and Crystal Stilts.

What to buy: Xtatic Truth is released by Kitsuné on 6 July, followed by I Love London later this year.

File next to: Buraka Som Sistema, CSS, Django Django.

Links: myspace.com/crystalfighters

Tomorrow's new band: Mickey Gang.

.... ... .

Basque Good Friday

This information comes to us from our friends of the Irish Basque Committees:

6TH ANNUAL IRISH BASQUE NIGHT

GOOD FRIDAY 10TH APRIL


Featuring:


ERIK NOON & THE FUTURE GYPSIES

http://www.myspace.com/eriknoon


THE RED RASTA SOUND SYSTEM


with speakers, videos, raffles, merchandising, books...


DOORS OPEN 8PM

£5 BEFORE 10PM / £7 AFTER 10 PM

LIMITED TICKETS

Organised by: BELFAST BASQUE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE

Keep up to date on Basque struggle news at: Irish Basque Committees

Listen to Basque Info at www.feilefm.com on line on Tuesdays from 6.30-7pm and Wednesdays 12-12.30pm

Once again, thanks to all of our Irish friends for your kindness and solidarity.

.... ... .

"Gu Gira"

This information comes to us via EITb:

'Gu Gira' compilation sells more than 20,000 copies

The album offers an overview of the Basque folk music evolution since the first singer-songwriters appeared in the 60's until the year 1983. Mikel Laboa, Benito Lertxundi, Xabier Lete, Lurdes Iriondo, Antton Valverde, Estitxu, Itoiz, Errobi, Ruper Ordorika, Niko Etxart and Oskorri are among the artists featured in 'Gu Gira'

The album offers an overview of the Basque folk music evolution since first singer-songwriters appeared in the 60's until the year 1983. Those participating are Mikel Laboa, Benito Lertxundi, Xabier Lete, Lurdes Iriondo, Antton Valverde, Estitxu, Imanol Larzabal, Txomin Artola, Gorka Knörr, Gontzal Mendibil eta Xeberri, Urko, Itoiz, Errobi, Ruper Ordorika, Niko Etxart, Pantxoa eta Peio, Oskorri or Iñaki Eizmendi.

'Gu gira' , -released by Basque music label Elkar- features 15 tracks that have never been previously released in CD format - at least, in a legal way. The most emblematic songs by Estitxu, Iñaki Eizmendi, Gorka Knörr and Niko Etxart have been recovered from the Columbia and Kardantxa-Movieplay (nowadays Sony/BMG and DRO/Warner) catalogs.

Several artists participating in the album will be taking part in a concert that will be celebrated at Donostia-San Sebastian's Kursaal on April 5th.

.... ... .

Emir, Manu and Diego Armando

This article was published at the section Goal of The New York Times:

La Vida Maradona in Song and Film

By Jack Bell

International pop star and soccer legend wander the streets of Buenos Aires. Queue the music and vintage video footage.

Introducing the singer Manu Chao and coach of the Argentina national team, Diego Maradona in “La Vida Tombola,” a hit single off Chao’s Latin Grammy-winning album “La Radiolina.”

The song is also featured in the film “Maradona.” Here is the video for “La Vida Tombola,” which translates loosely to “Life Is a Lottery.”

.



.

The film was directed by Emir Kusturica, the award-winning Serbian filmmaker, and was a selection at the Cannes International Film Festival last May. It has been released in several countries in Europe.

Chao, 47, who was born in France to parents from Galicia and the Basque region in Spain, has long been a fan of Maradona. In 1994, he included the song “Santa Maradona” on his “Casa Babylon” album, Chao’s last effort with his band Mano Negra.

.... ... .

William Petersen Sings "Goiko Mendean"

Not everyday you wake up to find out that an US actor sings a Basque song, and is not only that it is a Basque song, he sings it in Euskera.

Here you have the note courtesy of EITb:

William Petersen, as Gil Grissom in CSI, sings a Basque song

William Petersen, as Gill Grissom in CSI, sends a greeting to the people of the Basque Country. Fragment in which he sings the Basque song "Goiko mendia". The complete version will be diffused during the reception to be offered by the Basque president Friday evening in Vitoria-Gasteiz.

Note: By accessing the page you will be able to watch the video in which he sings the song.

.... ... .

Mikel Laboa

As you may know by now, Basque songwriter Mike Laboa passed away last week. This is The Guardian's obituary dedicated to his memory:

Mikel Laboa

Basque singer central to his culture's revival

* Michael Eaude
* The Guardian, Tuesday 9 December 2008

The Basque singer Mikel Laboa, who has died aged 74, was a legend in the Basque country, the region spanning part of northern Spain and south-west France. Always singing in Euskara, the Basque language, he was central to the region's cultural revival.

His father was a Basque Nationalist party councillor on the San Sebastián (Donostia) city council, who left for exile on the arrival of General Franco's troops in 1937. His mother and her seven children took refuge in the fishing village of Lekeitio, but the family was reunited in San Sebastián in 1939. The old quarter of that beautiful seaside city remained Laboa's haunt until the end of his life.

The post civil war years were tough: not only did hunger and fear rule, but speaking Euskara was forbidden. His family were musical and Laboa learned the guitar. In 1955 a friend gave him a record by the Argentinean Atahualpa Yupanqui that suggested a way of singing about suffering and politics.

At the same time, Laboa was studying medicine in Pamplona. He took his finals in Zaragoza, where, in 1962, at a student concert, he first sang in public in Euskara. In 1964 he married Marisol Bastida and went on to study child psychiatry for three years in Barcelona, where he made contact with the Catalan protest song movement.

From 1967 till its closure 18 years later, Laboa worked at the San Miguel hospital in San Sebastián as a psychiatrist, caring for children with Down's syndrome and autism. With his well-worn clothes and beret, he looked more like a farm labourer than a consultant physician, but combined the two careers with great success.

Laboa had found a Basque popular songbook in the early 1960s and his particular contribution was beginning to fall into place: Basque traditional songs, 1960s protest music, but always with a personal interpretation, including an album of translations from Bertolt Brecht (1969), and Lekeitioak (1988), an album of experimental pieces involving screams and onomatopoeic sounds that were closer to John Cage than Joan Baez. His curiously pitched, clear, nasal voice, the minimalism of his poem-songs and his commitment to Basque culture struck chords with his audience.

His first records were EPs only published in the French Basque country, but, in 1974, a double album was issued in Spain, Bat-Hiru (One-Three), his best-known record. It includes his hymn to freedom Txoria Txori (The Bird Which Is a Bird), inspired by his work with autistic children: in all, he made 16 records.

In later years Laboa experimented with other styles such as jazz and rock. A younger generation, mainly Basque post-punk rockers, paid him homage in the album Txerokee (1990). In 2003, he wrote the music for Julio Medem's documentary La Pelota Vasca (The Basque Ball). Medem wanted to interview him for the film, but Laboa refused: "I have nothing to say apart from my songs."

The writer Bernardo Atxaga described Laboa as a tall Viking warrior with piercing blue eyes, trapped inside the nervous nature of the singer. For his last performance, on July 11 2006, Laboa overcame his stage fright to perform in front of tens of thousands of people on San Sebastián beach, when he opened for Bob Dylan in a concert for peace.

He is survived by Marisol and their two children.

• Mikel Laboa Mancisidor, singer-songwriter, born June 15 1934; died December 1 2008

.... ... .

Txoria Txori (Mikel Laboa)

In loving memory of Basque singer and song-writer Mikel Laboa.

.... ... .

Songs of Struggle

This information comes to us from our friends at the Irish Basque Committees:

SATURDAY 29TH OF NOVEMBER
SONGS OF STRUGGLE FUNDRAISING NIGHT
IN AID OF BELFAST BASQUE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE
RODDEY'S MCCORLY'S, Glen Road
8PM £5

.... ... .

Antonio Barberena in Orlando

This note was published at the Orlando Sentinel:

Antonio Barberena in concert

Concert in the gardens of the Maitland Art Center.

The Maitland Art Center (MAC) and the Consulate of Mexico in Orlando are proud to announce the special presentation and concert of the classic accordionist, Antonio Barberena. The free concert is scheduled for Sunday, November 16 at 6 pm in the Mayan Courtyard.

Antonio Barberena was born in Mexico City in 1962. He started playing the accordion piano system at the age of 11 years in a lyric way; at 15 he started with formal classes with the Italian teacher Sergio Rizzardi, changing to chromatic or botton system. He has performed with the Phylarmonic Orchestra of the UNAM, the Opera Orchestra of Bellas Artes and as a soloist with the Classical Orchestra of Mexico. To date, he has been presented in the main concert halls of the city of Mexico and in most of the main theaters of Mexico.

His music has been played on TV and on the radio in the capital city. During his career he has played the world premiere of several works for accordion in Mexico. In 2004 he was prized by the Mexican Basque Society with the title “Number One Member” in recognition for playing Basque music in Mexico.

Since 2003, he has performed contemporary music together with the Marimba player Javier Nandayapa and Mirna Yam in percussion. Today he is working in the third volume of classical music in accordion and a DVD of a life concert in the Basílica de Guadalupe. He is visiting Orlando as a featured guest of the Florida Accordion Association.

.... ... .

Irish Basque Radio Relaunched

This info comes to us from our friends at the Irish Basque Committees:

BASQUE INFO RADIO PROGRAM RE-LAUNCHED.

Tuesday 4th of November 6.30-7pm / Wednesday 5th of November 12-12.30pm

at www.feilefm.com or 103.2 FM Belfast.

*News: more political parties banned, arrests and tortures, thousands of people take to the streets to support democracy, prisoners, Basque language, against High Speed Train...

*Interview with Gorka Elejabarrieta, Basque pro-independence movement representative in Brussels.

*Music: Fermin Muguruza's new album.

.... ... .

Red Bay Basques

This information comes to us via The Western Star:

Musicians to tell story of Basque whalers in tour

ASHLEY FITZPATRICK
The Western Star

DEER LAKE — A group of musicians from the Bonne Bay area will be performing in commemoration of the Basque whalers of 16th-century Red Bay, Labrador.

The tour, which will feature two west coast dates, will also be promoting a new CD created by the group that tells the story of the Basque presence in Red Bay.

At its peak, Red Bay was the site of employment for as many as 1,000 whalers and, even today, remnants of the whaling trade can be found along its shores. A National Historic Site has been established in the area to present the story of the whalers and how their presence affected the Red Bay area.

That story has become the inspiration for recent work by a group of musicians and songwriters in Newfoundland, according to songwriter Shirley Montague of Norris Point.

Montague, who is originally from Labrador, has written six songs for a CD by the group entitled, “Remembering the Red Bay Basques.” The CD will be coupled with performances by the musicians — Montague, Daniel Payne, Louis McDonald and Paul Barry — in the communities of Rocky Harbour and Woody Point in order to promote Red Bay’s whaling history.

“It’s such a powerful part of our history,” said Montague on Friday.

In order to write her contributions to the album, Montague visited the community and consulted with local historians. In particular, Montague received help from the Red Bay National Historic Site, which was a large part of her inspiration.

“I was always kind of smitten with the site,” said Montague. “The whole project was basically inspired by the site itself.”

According to Montague, the story of the whalers of Labrador, as told through the historical site, has been ignored in recent years, with more attention going to other historical areas and groups.

Montague and her group are hoping that their efforts may change all that and get the Red Bay story out.

“It basically is telling the story of the Red Bay Basques in music and song,” said Montague. “That is the goal of this CD. It’s about storytelling.”

The stories told by and through these songwriters were developed with the help of historians and existing research on the Red Bay whalers, said Montague.

For example, Montague’s song, “Saddle Island Shore,” is about an area of Red Bay where many of the fat-rendering facilities for whales were located. These were areas where whale blubber would be transformed into valuable whale oil that would then be shipped back to the European market. Plenty of cooperages for barrel making and whaler graves were also present on the island during the peak whaling period, she said.

The music created by the group about the whalers also includes flavours of the home of the Basque ethnic group, in an area of northern Spain and southern France. Those unique sounds come from instruments like the mandolin, not common to traditional Newfoundland music.

Montague hopes that the words, songs and sounds will encourage more people to take an interest in the whalers of Red Bay and lead to more visitors at the Red Bay National Historic Site.

The musicians and songwriters will be performing this Sunday at the Oceanview Motel in Rocky Harbour, and Thursday at the Woody Point Heritage Theatre.

The live performances are entitled, “The Red Bay Basques in Word, Music and Song.”

.... ... .

Archuleta Is Basque

So, a Basque news outlet finally picked up on American Idol's David Archuleta and his last name. I posted something about it when the reality show was just starting, I even got a Basque to comment that a Basque last name does not make a person Basque.

Well, here you have the note that was published at EITb:

Basques around the world

David Archuleta: an “American Idol” with Basque heritage

06/06/2008

The great “American idol” has the best letter of introduction possible; his surname. In fact, the young finalist of American Idol has promise.

David Archuleta became the runner-up on the seventh season of the worldly known U.S. program “American Idol”. With the mythical song Imagine, the young boy won the heart of 28.45 voters, 44 percent of the overall voters.

Archuleta’s performance reached 27% share, a real positive one, taking into account that the Oscars Ceremony got 32 million of audience.

Moreover, the day after the debut of the young hope, his performance was the most seen video in YouTube, with more than 530,000 visits.

It was not the first time that the young boy sings before public, because when he was twelve, he won "Star Search" contest and devoting himself to music has always been his desire.

Although he is not widely linked to the Basque Country, he has Basque ancestors and according to hid father statements, his family has Basque heritage since 1500, approximately.

The fan page The Arch Angels talks about his Basque background:

David Archuleta's Past:

David is the second oldest of five children. His mother is from Honduras and his father is American of Basque descent. He has three younger siblings Amber, Daniel and Jazzy and an older sister Claudia. His family moved to Utah when he was six where David now attends Murray High School. If he does not win American Idol he plans to continue school and work on his singing career.

Update: Sadly, the reference about David Archuleta's father claiming his Basque ancestry at Wikipedia has been deleted, we can only guess that some Spaniards got angry and decided to act on it.

.... ... .

A Basque American Idol?

Archuleta is a Basque last name, there is a large Basque community in Utah and he is not competing in the Latin American Idol so, is he a Basque-American Idol?

The note appeared today at Yahoo News:

Archuleta de Triomphe: Teen 'Idol' star

By JENNIFER DOBNER, Associated Press WriterFri Mar 7, 2:04 PM ET

It was no secret that David Archuleta could sing — students and teachers had heard him belt out holiday carols during Spanish class and an opera aria at a school arts festival. None of that was reason enough to believe the junior at Murray High School would transform from a shy and impish 17-year-old to a fast-rising star on "American Idol."

"He giggles every time you confront him," Archuleta's 11th grade English teacher Chantel Thackarey said. "I can't believe how well he's doing because he's just so painfully shy."

Week after week, Archuleta seems to out-sing the competition on the top-rated Fox television show, winning the hearts — and votes — of viewers. Idol judge Paula Abdul has said Archuleta is "destined for superstardom."

"He commands the stage," said Dean Kaelin, a vocal coach who has worked with Archuleta over the past six years.

In spite of his obvious talents, Archuleta has kept a low profile on the Murray High campus. An A student with a quiet demeanor, he wasn't among the school's most popular kids, nor the star of school plays.

"I didn't see it coming," said Murray High student body president Adam Ward, who witnessed Archuleta's Spanish class serenade in 2006. "He's this little guy, and he just belted that music out. It was amazing. He's a notch above."

Kaelin recalls a similar reaction when an 11-year-old Archuleta first came to him for vocal training prior to appearing on the CBS network TV talent show "Star Search." (He won the junior singer division in 2004.)

Even then, the boy with dark hair and piercing eyes sang with a maturity beyond his years, Kaelin said.

"The thing that's unique about David is his sense of musical styling and phrasing. The one thing that is hard to teach is the sense of the music, the feeling of the music and the rhythm," Kaelin said. "It's intuitive. Sort of like a sixth sense."

Maybe talent is just in Archuleta's genes: His father, Jeff Archuleta, plays the jazz trumpet; and Lupe, David's Honduras-born mother, a singer. Both have performed professionally, and they've exposed their five kids to a wide range of music, Kaelin said.

David Archuleta started singing at about age 7, stopping only to recover from a paralyzed vocal chord discovered about the same time puberty began to deepen the teen's voice.

Kaelin describes his student as a focused, hard-working musician who sets specific goals for technical growth and understands that songs are stories, too, Kaelin said.

"It's about connecting with people and connecting with the song. It really wouldn't make a difference if he was on TV with 40 million people watching or if he was singing in a church or in a rest home."

Out of the spotlight, Kaelin calls Archuleta a genuinely nice kid whose family and faith keep him grounded.

"My personal belief is that he has no idea what a big deal he his," Kaelin said.

Big deal indeed.

Beyond viewer votes, Archuleta's soaring success has spawned dozens of fan sites on MySpace and Facebook — most seemingly from teenage girls — that wax about his heartthrob good looks and prognosticate about his being crowned the next "Idol." Other fans say they've been brought to tears by Archuleta's "gift," and a handful of young women have proposed marriage.

Back home in Murray, a growing fan club of students and teachers said they tune in weekly to watch.

"I have both my kids going at my house the whole time the show's on, with two phones, getting in as many votes as they can," school principal Scott Bushnell said a bit sheepishly. "I've heard many stories of students texting more than 100 times for David."

Thackarey said Archuleta deserves every accolade. Embarrassed by compliments and always more interested in others, Thackarey said Archuleta isn't driven by some hope of fame.

"I can't picture David saying 'I want to be a rock star, I want to be famous,'" said Thackarey. "He's more like, I want to do music because I love it. He's a follow-your-bliss kind of guy."

.... ... .

Oldfield in Bilbo

This note was published today by EITb:

Entertainment

At Guggenheim Museum

Mike Oldfield to present his latest album in Bilbao tonight

03/07/2008

The artist, who will present his last work "Music of the Spheres" on Friday in Bilbao, is very "surprised and happy" after his first rehearsals with the Basque Symphony Orchestra and the Choral Society of Bilbao.

Mike Oldfield will present today in Bilbao his last work "The Music of the Spheres" together with the Basque Symphony Orchestra and 40 women from the Choral Society of Bilbao. A few hours before the world premiere, Basque TV station ETB has been able to talk with the great composer.

It was 35 years ago when Oldfield composed his first notes, but from then on, the Britsh composer and singer has not stopped. 24 albums have already been published. The long wait of thousands of worldwide fans will end tomorrow at last.

For the recording of his last work he has been helped by the New Zelander soprano Hayley Westenr and Chinese pianist Lang Lang. With no doubt, good music is secured.

Although Basque Symphony Orchestra already invited Mike Oldfield some time ago to come to Bilbao, they have only had time to rehearse a couple of times.

For the new album’s premiere, which will take place at Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao, Oldfield will count on the help of Basque Symphony Orchestra and 40 women from the Choral Society of Bilbao.

In an interview the British composer has agreed to give ETB he has said he feels "surprised and very happy" with final results, since the songs sound as in the album.

With regard to the place of the presentation, Oldfield has admitted that music will adapt very web to the space, though "Music of the Spheres" album has a "gothic and dark point".

Mike Oldfield has said that playing in such a “bright and modern place will be with no doubt a perfect inspirational source for the next work”.

If you wish to learn more about this artist you can visit his page:

Mike Olfield

.... ... .

Interview with Kathy Kelly

The craze about The Kelly Family's concert video featuring Agur Jaunak continues. EITb has published an interview with Kathy Kelly. Even better, thanks to them now we get their version of Txoria Txori.

Here you have it:

Entertainment

Kelly Family sings "Agur Jaunak"

We met and sang in our bar in Pamplona with Mikel Laboa - Kathy

02/06/2008

A week after a video of "The Kelly Family" singing a traditional song hit the headlines of eitb24.com and succeeded in Youtube receiving more than 50,000 visits, the Basque channel got in touch with Kathy Kelly.

As you already know, we recently discovered a video on the Internet of you and your family singing the Basque traditional song "Agur Jaunak" during a concert. Since then, it has recorded thousands of visits more. How did you find out about it?

I discovered the news through Myspace.com/kathyannekelly fans that saw the news, told me about it and I kept looking all time in the past week the profile in youtube.

I have been following the whole process, and much to my delight, I see it growing everyday by 10000 profiles more per day, kept myself informed through Google about all the different articles across the world as in the USA etc.. in your newspapers also

Have you received any kind of feedback on your web site after the recent success of the "Agur Jaunak" version?

Yes I have received feedbacks of fans and I am very happy of all this outburst towards us, and you beautiful song "Agur Jaunak".

What can you tell us about the video? When was it recorded? Where?

The Video was recorded in 1995 in one of the most beautiful outdoors venues of Germany "The Loreley" for a TV live show of ours, and just now talking to my brother Johnny who lives in your country, he told me it is the most sold Video ever in Europe, it could be 400000 copies sold ,its been our most successful Video in our career also as a whole show

Which is your connection with the Basque Country?

My connection with the Basque country was my youth years in the seventies where I studied music in the conservatoire of Pamplona and did ballet and met all kinds of thinkers of your country that introduced me to your culture and songs and popular dances.

It's a huge story and a very important time of our lives getting poised to go out to the world which we did later on, we lived in a small town called Belascoain in Navarra, and from them we gathered the vision to do what we did, and your songs specially "Agur Jaunak" followed us all along the way.

My Brother has a story of the biography of how this song had a huge impact on many occasions in our lives, and for other important personalities that we met along the way in our travels.

Why did you decide to include that song on the set list?

This song has always been in our hearts as the Basque people have been also, so whenever there is a very special moment and we feel like the crowd is ready, we give them the jewels that we gathered along the way and this song of yours is by far the song.

Once a great thinker of you Country told my father(Jorge Oteiza) "we the Basque people have a sense of our divinity", and there is no other song that expresses better this feeling than "Agur Jaunak", so when this feeling is really there with us and the crowd we sing it.

What else do you know of the Basque music? Any more traditional songs? Groups?

We sang very often "Boga Boga" that we produced in our first CD with "Agur Jaunak" back in the year 1978 Polydor Germany and we also sang often "Gernikako Arbola", "Haurtxo Polita" and many other folk songs of yours.

I belonged for a while to a dance group of yours in Pamplona called "Ortxadar" where I got lots of influence of the Basque Music.

We used to play in our home the songs of Benito Lertxundi with whom we also recorded for a Video of ours one of his songs, in the video called "A long time ago with Mum" "Kelly Family" and we met and sang in our Bar in Pamplona with Mikel Laboa etc.

The story is so big I am sure that I am leaving so many things unsaid, please excuse me for this because you have woken in me many memories now, I am so glad that we can be a source of joy and pride for your Country and give back in such way the gratitude we have for you all, and the fantastic treatment you gave us back then when we needed it

There have been many big bands that have recently come back to the stages. We could mention The Police, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Bruce Springsteen is back with the E. Street Band...Has the Kelly family any plans for the future?

Who knows never say nay? Things have their way and I believe it will some day happen when and how? Maybe you will have lots to do with it again? Some of us are still singing together and often, here and there, in our private family meetings we all sing together, and the impact is always there of the sound of our voices, so this has never left us

A big part of our audience has grown up listening to the music of the Kelly Family. However, the youngest ones do not know much about it. Just for them, could you please tell us what is history of the Kelly Family?

I will ask you to go to Kelly family Wikipedia.com or in German.de and check it out its so large the story that I would have to write three books on it, there are different faces that we lived the older ones and the younger ones, check also The home Page"Kelly Family".

Thanks a lot Kathy

And if you still feel like going on listening to some more Basque songs sung by the Kelly Family, check the next video.

.... ... .

The Kelly Family's Basque Success

Remember the video by The Kelly Family to a Basque song that I posted a couple of days ago?

Well, here you have an update about the craze it stirred among Basque internet users:

Entertainment

Video in internet

Kelly Family’s Basque song "Agur Jaunak", succeeds in Youtube

01/29/2008

It had nearly 5.000 visits in six months, as many as the ones it has had now in only six days. It started moving through e-mails and aupatu.com, as eitb24.com. has checked.

A video in which the Irish American music group The Kelly Family sings the famous Basque song "Agur Jaunak" in a multitudinary concert, has become this week the last youtube’s phenomenon among Basque internauts, according to the data obtained by eitb.com.

During these days, through e-mails “bounced” and from a news promotion Basque site called aupatu.com, this video has doubled its visits number. It was uploaded in Youtube on 22nd of June and it was visited by nearly 5.000 people in six months. In the last week, since it has been moving among Basque internauts, it has had more than 10.000 visits.

The Kelly Family is a folk music group with more than 30 years with several millions albums sold in Europe. The famous group is formed by nine brothers and sisters and their children. They moved from US to Germany and after 1973, they arrived in Pamplona/Iruña, where they gave concerts in a known pub.

Two years after, in 1975, they became famous while they were playing at streets and they soon recorded their first album, which was really successful in Germany, and in all Europe after that.

.... ... .

The Kelly Family - Agur Jaunak

Maite from Vascos México has come upon this authentic jewel in You Tube.

During a concert, The Kelly Family sings Agur Jaunak, a beloved song from Euskal Herria

The Kelly Family is a German music group comprised of a multi-generational family (Kathy, John, Patricia, Jimmy, Joey, Barby, Paddy, Maite and Angelo), that has enjoyed considerable chart and concert success in Europe and other parts of the world, especially in Germany, the Benelux countries, East Europe, Spain and Portugal. They have sold over 20 million albums since the early 1980s.

For many years, the group presented a unique gypsy image and a vagabonding lifestyle. This was emphasised by their 'ethnic' clothing (such as long floral skirts worn by the female band members), their hair (very long hair even on all the male band members), and also by their travels around Europe in a double-decker bus and houseboat. In recent years, however, they have presented a more modern look.

Here you have the lyrics to the song (in Euskara):

Agur Jaunak

Agur Jaunak
Jaunak agur, agur t'erdi
Danak Jainkoak eiñak gire
zuek eta ak eiñak gire
zuek eta bai gu ere.
Agur Jaunak, agur,
agur t'erdi, emen gera,
Agur Jaunak.

A very special moment in the video takes place when one of the members of the band express their solidarity to the Basque people.

.... ... .

Iglesias and Oscar

This note comes to us via EITb:

Entertainment Ceremony on Feb. 24

Basque composer Alberto Iglesias enters Oscar race

01/22/2008

Iglesias was nominated for the best Original Score for the original score of Marc Foster's The Kite runner. It is his second nomination after the one for the original score for The Constant Gardener.

Basque composer Alberto Iglesias was selected Tuesday among the nominees to the Oscar Awards for the best Original Score for the original score of Marc Foster's The Kite Runner. This nomination come on top of the nomination for the 2006 Oscar awards for the original score for The Constant Gardener.

Based on Khaled Hosseini's literary work and directed by Marc Forster, The kite runner tells the story of Amir, who returns to his homeland in Afghanistan after spending years in California to help his old friend Hassan, whose son is in trouble.

Fellow nominees of Iglesias were Dario Marianelli for Atonement; James Newton Howard, for Michael Clayton; Michael Giacchino, for Ratatouille; and Marco Beltrami por 3:10 to Yuma.

Alberto Iglesias's work was also nominated for the Golden Globes and the Bafta.

He was born in Donostia-San Sebastian (Gipuzkoa), where he learnt to play the piano and studied Harmony and Composition. Iglesias is one of the most significant composers in the Spanish State and has created several original scores for films by Julio Medem and Pedro Almodovar.

The Basque composer is currently working on the original score of two new films for Steven Soderbergh, Guerrilla and The Argentine, based on the character of the Cuban revolutionary leader Ernesto "Che" Guevara. Once finished, he plans to work once again with the Spanish director Pedro Almodovar.

.... ... .