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Basque music refers to the music made in the Basque Country, reflecting traits related to its society/tradition, and devised by people from that territory. While traditionally more closely associated to rural based and Basque language music, the growing diversification of its production during the last decades has tipped the scale in favour of a broad definition.


Traditional music

Basque traditional music is a product of the region's historic development and strategic geographical position on the Atlantic arch at a crossroads between mountains ( Cantabrian mountain range, Pyrenees) and plains (
Ebro , name_etymology = , image = Zaragoza shel.JPG , image_size = , image_caption = The Ebro River in Zaragoza , map = SpainEbroBasin.png , map_size = , map_caption = The Ebro ...
basin), ocean and inland, European continent and Iberian Peninsula. Its culture and music has thus been exposed to a wide number of influences throughout history, ranging from British and northern European to Mediterranean to
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...
. For example, traditional overseas commerce with England, or international pilgrimage on the
Way of St James The Camino de Santiago ( la, Peregrinatio Compostellana, "Pilgrimage of Compostela"; gl, O Camiño de Santiago), known in English as the Way of St James, is a network of pilgrims' ways or pilgrimages leading to the shrine of the apostle Saint ...
added greatly to leave an imprint in both instruments and tunes.


Instruments

Folk instruments widespread in Europe ceased to be used in some places at some point of history and only remained in specific areas, where they took hold and adopted features and a character associated with the region, e.g. the
three-hole pipe The three-hole pipe, also commonly known as tabor pipe or galoubet, is a wind instrument designed to be played by one hand, leaving the other hand free to play a tabor drum, bell, psalterium or ''tambourin à cordes'', bones, triangle or other pe ...
or tabor pipe in widespread use in Europe ultimately resulted in two specific instruments in the Basque Country: the
txistu The txistu () is a kind of fipple flute that became a symbol for the Basque folk revival. The name may stem from the general Basque word ''ziztu'' "to whistle" with palatalisation of the ''z'' (cf ''zalaparta'' > '' txalaparta''). This three-hole ...
and the
xirula The xirula (, spelled ''chiroula'' in French, also pronounced ''txirula'', ''(t)xülüla'' in Zuberoan Basque; Gascon: ''flabuta''; French: ''galoubet'') is a small three holed woodwind instrument or flute usually made of wood akin to the Basque ...
. Accordingly, different instruments may have evolved out of one, such as
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
se dulzaina and
Soule Soule (Basque: Zuberoa; Zuberoan/ Soule Basque: Xiberoa or Xiberua; Occitan: ''Sola'') is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées-Atlantiques ''département''. It is divided into two cantons of the arron ...
tin ''txanbela'', with slight differences between them. Most instruments adopted in rural and folk circles do not go back more than six centuries, with some having been introduced as late as the 19th century, such as the
trikitixa The trikiti (standard Basque, pronounced ) trikitixa ( dialectal Basque, pronounced ), or eskusoinu txiki ("little hand-sound", pronounced )) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve uni ...
, or the txistu, shaped in its present-day form during that period, despite the fact that it resulted from a long evolution. Most Basque instruments originated outside the Basque Country and became popular in the territory at some stage, but the
txalaparta The txalaparta ( or ) is a specialized Basque music device of wood or stone. In some regions of the Basque Country, (with ) means "racket", while in others (in Navarre) has been attested as meaning the trot of the horse, a sense closely relat ...
is not one of them. Some traditional Basque instruments are the following: *
Alboka The Basque ( es, albogue) is a single-reed woodwind instrument consisting of a single reed, two small diameter melody pipes with finger holes and a bell traditionally made from animal horn. Additionally, a reed cap of animal horn is placed arou ...
, a difficult double clarinet played in a circular breathing technique similar to that used for the Sardinian launeddas. *
Txalaparta The txalaparta ( or ) is a specialized Basque music device of wood or stone. In some regions of the Basque Country, (with ) means "racket", while in others (in Navarre) has been attested as meaning the trot of the horse, a sense closely relat ...
, a wooden xylophone-like percussion instrument for two players. *
Kirikoketa The kirikoketa ( or ) is a specialized Basque music wooden device akin to the txalaparta and closely related to working activities. It is classified as an idiophone (a percussion instrument). It has lately caught on with cultural circles from the ...
, a wooden percussion device akin to the txalaparta associated with the cider making process. * Toberak, a percussion instrument made of horizontal metal bars. *
Txistu The txistu () is a kind of fipple flute that became a symbol for the Basque folk revival. The name may stem from the general Basque word ''ziztu'' "to whistle" with palatalisation of the ''z'' (cf ''zalaparta'' > '' txalaparta''). This three-hole ...
, a local pipe. *Drum, called ''danbolin'', and usually accompanying the txistu. * Atabal, a double sided, portable flat drum played together with aerophones. *
Xirula The xirula (, spelled ''chiroula'' in French, also pronounced ''txirula'', ''(t)xülüla'' in Zuberoan Basque; Gascon: ''flabuta''; French: ''galoubet'') is a small three holed woodwind instrument or flute usually made of wood akin to the Basque ...
, a three-hole flute, shorter and more high-pitched than txistu. *
Ttun-ttun The string drum or Tambourin de Béarn (in German) is a long rectangular box zither beaten with a mallet. It is paired with a one-handed flute (French: galoubet) with three finger holes, similar to a pipe and tabor. It has also been called tambo ...
, a vertical stringed drum played usually together with the xirula. *
Trikitixa The trikiti (standard Basque, pronounced ) trikitixa ( dialectal Basque, pronounced ), or eskusoinu txiki ("little hand-sound", pronounced )) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve uni ...
or ''eskusoinua'', a lively
diatonic button accordion A melodeon or diatonic button accordion is a member of the free-reed aerophone family of musical instruments. It is a type of button accordion on which the melody-side keyboard contains one or more rows of buttons, with each row producing the ...
. * Tambourine, usually played together with the
trikitixa The trikiti (standard Basque, pronounced ) trikitixa ( dialectal Basque, pronounced ), or eskusoinu txiki ("little hand-sound", pronounced )) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve uni ...
. * Dulzaina, a Navarre-based pipe belonging to the shawm family. *
Blowing horn The blowing horn or winding horn is a sound device that is usually made of or shaped like an animal horn, arranged to blow from a hole in the pointed end of it. This rudimentary device had a variety of functions in many cultures, in most cases re ...
, an instrument made of ox horn.


Singing tradition


A collective soul

The Basque people are especially given to singing. Basque language has stuck to the oral tradition stronger than Romance languages, and its literature was first recorded in writing in the 16th century. There are ballads dating from the 15th century that have been passed from parents to children by word of mouth, e.g. ''Ozaze Jaurgainian'' from
Soule Soule (Basque: Zuberoa; Zuberoan/ Soule Basque: Xiberoa or Xiberua; Occitan: ''Sola'') is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées-Atlantiques ''département''. It is divided into two cantons of the arron ...
, which relates events six centuries ago and has come down to us in different versions (the best known was popularized by
Benito Lertxundi Benito Lertxundi is a Basque singer-songwriter born in Orio, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country in 1942. He is an acclaimed and veteran figure in Basque music, who spearheaded with other key figures its revival in the 1960s and following years, showing a ...
), or ''Alostorrea'', from
Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. ...
. These ballads were crafted and spread by minstrels or
bertsolari Bertsolaritza or bertsolarism is the art of singing extemporaneously composed songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various '' ...
s, were kept in popular memory, and were transmitted in the so-called ''kopla zaharrak'', sets of poems with a characteristic rhythmic pattern that could be sung: this is similar to traditional practices elsewhere in Europe. So, for example, the first work of literature in Basque ''Linguæ Vasconum Primitiæ'' (1545) by Bernard Etxepare shows long verses that, while deceptively fashioned in metres resembling those used in Romance poetry, follow an internal rhythmic pattern similar to a ''kopla'', so they can be popularly sung. Even today, it is not unusual to see groups of people marching around a town at some local festival singing and asking the neighbours for a food, drink or money donation, while the most famous celebrations following this pattern across the whole Basque Country may be those taking place on Christmas Eve ( Olentzero) and the Saint Agatha's Eve, with singers dressing up in traditional costumes. It follows that traditional singing is closely related to
bertsolari Bertsolaritza or bertsolarism is the art of singing extemporaneously composed songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various '' ...
s, improvising bards, who even nowadays hold an important status in Basque culture. They voice the people's concerns by means of a formal tradition coming from the people (tunes, linguistic devices), and act as their spokespersons. A considerable corpus of traditional songs was gathered by
Resurrección María de Azkue Resurrección María de Azkue (5 August 1864 – 9 November 1951) was an influential Basque priest, musician, poet, writer, sailor and academic.Etxegoien, J. ''Orhipean, Gure Herria ezagutzen'' Xamar: 1996 He made several major contributions t ...
and Aita Donostia, two religious scholars interested in Basque folk culture, at the turn of the 20th century; and also later on, in ''Cancionero popular vasco'' (1918) and ''Euskal Eres-Sorta. Cancionero Vasco'' (1922), to mention but a few works. In the present day, the band Hiru Truku (comprising the celebrated musicians
Joseba Tapia Joseba is a Basque name meaning ''Joseph''. It may refer to: Football players * Joseba Etxeberria * Joseba Llorente Etxarri * Joseba del Olmo * Joseba Garmendia * Joseba Arriaga Bicycle racers * Joseba Zubeldia * Joseba Albizu * Joseba ...
, Ruper Ordorika and Bixente Martinez) has chosen several ancient songs from all over the Basque Country, updated the music brilliantly and released them in a number of albums. Another current long-standing and renowned group who elaborate on traditional songs is Oskorri: The band set about singing traditional songs in public performances previously handing out to the audience a repertoire bill including the lyrics and encouraging them to sing along. The band has launched a couple of albums of this kind so far and performed on various tours to public acclaim, becoming especially popular with middle-aged parents. A key figure bridging the old singing tradition of
Soule Soule (Basque: Zuberoa; Zuberoan/ Soule Basque: Xiberoa or Xiberua; Occitan: ''Sola'') is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées-Atlantiques ''département''. It is divided into two cantons of the arron ...
and the folk song revival of the 20th century is Pierre Bordazaharre (1907–1979),
aka Aka, AKA or a.k.a. may refer to: * "Also known as", used to introduce an alternative name Languages * Aka language (Sudan) * Aka language, in the Central African Republic * Hruso language, in India, also referred to as Aka * a prefix in the n ...
Etxahun Iruri. A
xirula The xirula (, spelled ''chiroula'' in French, also pronounced ''txirula'', ''(t)xülüla'' in Zuberoan Basque; Gascon: ''flabuta''; French: ''galoubet'') is a small three holed woodwind instrument or flute usually made of wood akin to the Basque ...
player and singer, he collected old songs and fashioned new ones, which eventually caught on and spread, take for instance, ''Agur Xiberoa''. He also contributed to new
pastoral A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music ( pastorale) that depic ...
plays in the tradition of Soule, reshaping the pastoral and adding new topics. There is also a tradition of
choral A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
music all over the Basque Country. Church choirs were set up in some towns to meet the religious musical needs. Yet at the turn of the 20th century some ensembles became established outside the ecclesiastical context, e.g. the Sociedad Coral de Bilbao (founded in 1886), Orfeón Donostiarra (founded in 1897) or the Coral Santa Cecilia from Donostia (founded in 1928). Later on, other ensembles were formed, such as Oldarra Abesbatza from
Biarritz Biarritz ( , , , ; Basque also ; oc, Biàrritz ) is a city on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in the French Basque Country in southwestern France. It is located from the border with Spain. ...
(founded in 1947), made up of men and sometimes putting on performances as an ''ochote'' (see below), or the reputed Coral Andra Mari from
Errenteria Errenteria ( eu, Errenteria/Orereta, es, Rentería) is a town located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, in the north of Spain, near the French border. The river Oiartzun cuts its way through the town, one that ha ...
, established in 1966, featuring Basque folk music and Aita Donostia's several scores. Nowadays many minor choral ensembles, largely offering the Basque folk repertoire, dot the Basque territory. In
Bayonne Bayonne (; eu, Baiona ; oc, label= Gascon, Baiona ; es, Bayona) is a city in Southwestern France near the Spanish border. It is a commune and one of two subprefectures in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, in the Nouvelle-Aquitain ...
and Donostia a cheerful informal initiative has grown popular with amateurs in the late noughties, who meet once a month and go bar hopping around the streets of the respective Old Quarters while singing traditional songs. Another Basque choral phenomenon is represented by the so-called ''ochotes'', which became popular in the 1930s in the
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
region: Eight men with deep voices, with a marked taste for local and folk subjects, singing in Spanish and
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...
. This may stem from summer ecclesiastic seminaries and they thrived on the warm atmosphere of the bars after the work shift was over. Eventually a branch of this genre evolved out into ''bilbainadas'' (up to the 1960s, nowadays much in decay).


Classical soloists

Awash in the same singing tradition, but shifting towards the refined European trends prevailing in the higher levels of society, certain Basques became renowned as individual singers. Some soloists worth highlighting include: *
Pierre-Jean Garat Pierre-Jean Garat (25 April 1764 – 1 March 1823) was a French Basque singer and nephew of Dominique Joseph Garat. He was born in Ustaritz. Garat devoted himself from an early age to the cultivation of his musical talents. Because he professed ...
(1764-1823): An early soloist thriving on the heat of Labourd's Enlightenment. *
Julián Gayarre Sebastián Julián Gayarre Garjón (9 January 1844 in Roncal, Navarre, Spain – 2 January 1890 in Madrid, Spain), better known as Julián Gayarre, was a Spanish opera singer who created the role of Marcello in Donizetti's ''Il Duca d'Alba'' a ...
(1844-1890): A
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
se tenor from Roncal with an outstanding tenor voice.


Composers

The Basque Country has been home to various notable composers, writing mainly in the 20th century. Much in step with the artistic trends of the first half of the century (painting,...), some of them developed a liking for
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...
customs, manners and subjects. *
Juan de Anchieta Juan de Anchieta (Azpeitia, Gipuzkoa, Spain, 1462 – Azpeitia, 1523) was a leading Spanish Basque composer of the Renaissance, at the Royal Court Chaplaincy in Granada of Queen Isabel I of Castile. History Born into a leading Basque family, ...
(1462–1523): Composer of the Renaissance hailing from the area of
Azpeitia Azpeitia (meaning 'down the rock' in Basque) is a town and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, in the Basque Country, Spain, located on the Urola river a few kilometres east of Azkoitia. Its population is 14,580 (as of 2014). It is loca ...
. * Santiago de Herdoiza (
Durango Durango (), officially named Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango ( en, Free and Sovereign State of Durango; Tepehuán: ''Korian''; Nahuatl: ''Tepēhuahcān''), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in ...
, c. 1700) * Juan Crisostomo Arriaga (
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
, 1806 – Paris, 1826) * Jose Maria Usandizaga ( Donostia/San Sebastian, 1887–1915): He is considered along with J. Guridi the father of Basque opera. He drew up orchestral and chamber pieces, like the celebrated ''Cuarteto de cuerda en Sol, Op. 31'', shifting to elaborate
zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name of ...
as well as opera works at the end of his life (''Mendi-Mendiyan'', 1910: ''Las Golondrinas'', 1914). He had his increasingly successful career cut short by an early death. *
Jesús Guridi Jesús Guridi Bidaola (25 September 1886 – 7 April 1961) was a Spanish Basque composer who was a key player in 20th-century Spanish and Basque music. His style fits into the late Romantic idiom, directly inherited from Wagner, and with a stron ...
( Vitoria-Gasteiz, 1881 – Madrid, 1961): Himself a friend of Usandizaga, whom he met in Paris while attending the
Schola Cantorum The Schola Cantorum de Paris is a private conservatory in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera. History La Schola was founded ...
, he was appointed manager of
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
's ''Sociedad Coral'' choir in 1912. Influenced by
Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
and musicians of the Late Romanticism, he found inspiration and phrases for his compositions in Basque folklore. His rich musical education enabled him to deal with different types of music, e.g.
zarzuela () is a Spanish lyric-dramatic genre that alternates between spoken and sung scenes, the latter incorporating operatic and popular songs, as well as dance. The etymology of the name is uncertain, but some propose it may derive from the name of ...
, opera, compositions for choir as well as religious pieces for organ. Some acclaimed works include ''El caserío'' (1926), ''Diez melodías vascas'' (1940), ''La meiga'' (1929), ''Seis canciones castellanas'' (1939) and ''Sinfonía pirenaica'' (1945). * Nemesio Otaño (
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, 1880 – San Sebastian, 1956 ): Composer, organist and musicologist. One of the most important figures in 20th century Spanish music history. Director of the Royal Conservatory of Madrid between 1939 and 1956. Among his most known works is ' Saint Ignatius March' ('Marcha de San Ignacio'), the patron saint of Biscay and Gipuzkoa. In 1894, he studied in the ''Colegio Preceptoría'' of Baliarrain, in which he composed two of his first litanies and a ''
zortziko The zortziko is a dance rhythm that originates in the Basque Country. It is also used as an accompaniment rhythm for vocal melodies, such as "Gernikako arbola", the unofficial anthem of the Basques, composed in 1853 by José María Iparraguirre ...
'' for piano; he was then only fourteen years old, but already played the organ in the school parish. In 1896 he joined the Society of Jesus and began his ecclesiastical studies along with the music classes. In 1911, he founded the Schola Cantorum at Comillas: His performances in plainsong and polyphony were highly influential. His works range from popular sacred songs (e.g. Estrella hermosa, Anima Christi, Baldako) to large-scale choral pieces. *
Pablo Sorozábal Pablo Sorozábal Mariezcurrena (18 September 1897 – 26 December 1988) was a Spanish composer of zarzuelas, operas, symphonic works, and the popular ''romanza'', " No puede ser". He was born in San Sebastián, in a working-class family. Tra ...
( Donostia/San Sebastian, 1897 – Madrid, 1988) *
Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composers rejected the term. In ...
(
Ziburu Ciboure (; ,ZIBURU
Carmelo Bernaola Carmelo Alonso Bernaola (16 July 1929 5 June 2002) was a Spanish composer and clarinetist from Basque Country. A member of the Generation of '51, he was one of the most influential composers in the Spanish musical scene of the second half of t ...
(
Otxandio Otxandio (in Basque and officially, in Spanish ''Ochandiano'') is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque autonomous community, Spain. Otxandio is part of the ''comarca'' of Durangaldea and has a population of 1,26 ...
, 1929 – Madrid, 2002) * Francisco Escudero ( Donostia/San Sebastian, 1912–2002), composer of Zigor and Gernika), operas with Basque librettos * Sebastian Iradier ( Lanciego, 1809 – Vitoria-Gasteiz, 1865) * Javier Bello-Portu ( Tolosa, 1920- San Sebastian, 2004)


Basque musical revival


Postwar desolation and first sprouts

In the wake of the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policie ...
(1936–1937 in the Basque territory), headway made in the Basque culture in the pre-war period ground to a halt: Fear grew amidst harsh repression, famine became an overriding concern, and former cultural figures died or ran for their lives to exile. As an individual singing figure of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s,
Luis Mariano Luis Mariano Eusebio González García (13 August 1914 – 14 July 1970), also known as Luis Mariano, was a popular tenor of Spanish origin who achieved celebrity in 1946 with "La belle de Cadix" ("The Beautiful Lady of Cadix") an operetta by ...
and his powerful tenor voice should be highlighted. Born in Irun and moving in his 20s to
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...
, he jumped onto the Spanish and international scene with light-hearted songs in Spanish and French (and, occasionally, in Basque). After the hardest postwar years, the younger generation set about putting together duos and small musical groups in
Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French dep ...
and
Biscay Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao. ...
, who gradually began singing original tunes in Basque. Notable bands from the 1960s include Urretxindorrak, Enarak, Soroak and Estitxu (female singer born to fleeing parents near Bayonne). These new bands sought to take advantage of the regime's increasing liberalization, despite the fact that major obstacles that still hindered cultural activity associated with anything Basque. Cultural and political awareness, social rebelliousness and an urge for action emerged in the following generations, resulting in a new left-leaning Basque nationalist movement.


Music as identity assertion

Some people from the southern Basque Country fled the territory to the French Northern Basque Country and seeking shelter. They left their imprint in the traditional Basque society of the Northern Basque Country, contributing to the rise of cultural and political awareness. In this category falls Mixel Labeguerie, who worked and lived in Kanbo, its mayor for more than a decade (1965–1980), Councillor General of the department and a founder of Basque nationalist movement Embata (he walked out later). He had a musical education, soaked up the new European musical trends, e.g. Brassens, folk music from England and France, and released an album in 1961 with songs that struck a chord, such as ''Gu gira Euskadiko'', ''Primaderako liliak'', etc. He was to have influence on the new artistic Basque artist collective "Ez dok amairu" put together in 1965, largely made up of folk singer-songwriters concerned with Basque culture:
Benito Lertxundi Benito Lertxundi is a Basque singer-songwriter born in Orio, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country in 1942. He is an acclaimed and veteran figure in Basque music, who spearheaded with other key figures its revival in the 1960s and following years, showing a ...
,
Mikel Laboa Mikel Laboa Mancisidor (15 June 1934 – 1 December 2008) was one of the Basque Country's most important singer-songwriters. Considered the patriarch of Basque music, his music has had an influence on younger generations. A testament to this i ...
(popular song "Txoriak txori"),
Xabier Lete Xabier Lete Bergaretxe (Oiartzun, Gipuzkoa, April 5, 1944 - Donostia, December 4, 2010) was a Basque writer, poet, singer and politician. He started to write from an early age and he often published articles in the magazine "Zeruko Argia". In 1965 h ...
, Lourdes Iriondo, etc. Lourdes Iriondo took up singing accompanied on a guitar for the first time in Basque music, a fact that came in for much criticism on the grounds that the instrument was alien to the native culture. " Ez Dok Amairu" broke up in 1972 and its members took up separate paths that eventually confirmed some of them as acclaimed and key folk Basque singers up to the 2000s. Along the lines of singer-songwriter style, Guk, Larralde eta Etxamendi or the beloved duo Pantxoa eta Peio provide the musical background for the 1970s period of struggle, repression and turmoil across the Northern Basque Country. Especially in the provinces of Álava and
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
, Enrike Zelaia ( Altsasu) and Gorka Knörr struck a chord with a more folkloric and nuanced approach.


A shift towards urban music

Meanwhile, new and more urban style musical ensembles and bands sprang up in the 1970s, performing first to other's songs of the time at summer local festivals. They gradually developed their own repertoire fashioned in line with the Basque revival and activism (special focus on the lyrics) and ongoing Western musical trends, e.g. folk ( Gwendal for one), progressive rock ( Pink Floyd,...). As regards choral bands,
Mocedades Mocedades () is a Spanish singing group from the Basque Country, who represented Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1973 with the hit song "Eres Tú". Since June 2014, ''Mocedades'' has been the name of two bands: one with Izaskun Uranga ...
from
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
should be highlighted, founded in 1967 initially by
Amaya Uranga Amaya Uranga Amezaga (born 18 February 1947) is a Spanish singer from Bilbao, best known for the 15 years she spent as a member of the Basque folk/pop sextet Mocedades. She is a cousin of director Pablo Berger. Biography Uranga formed Moce ...
and two sisters of her. They soon gained public notability by ranking second at the 1973
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pri ...
. In the same city, the prolific band Oskorri (see above) got together featuring folk music, launching first album in 1976, where they paid homage to poet Gabriel Aresti, while in the Northern Basque Country Michel Ducau and Anje Duhalde teamed up and put together the first Basque rock band, the celebrated and politically committed Errobi, releasing album ''Errobi'' (1975) to critic and public acclaim, ''Bizi bizian'' ensued, probably its best, with the record company
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
considering signing up a contract with them. The group disbanded (not definitely) at the top of their popularity (1979); the split came to be regarded as a "suicide". Beginning in the mid-60s, Imanol Larzabal led a solo career as a singer/songwriter, featuring a deep voice as well as a socially committed and poetic subjects, with the collaboration of domestic and foreign poets and singers. He went through a short period in prison and came back from exile in 1977. Friend of his and son of emigrant
Soule Soule (Basque: Zuberoa; Zuberoan/ Soule Basque: Xiberoa or Xiberua; Occitan: ''Sola'') is a former viscounty and French province and part of the present-day Pyrénées-Atlantiques ''département''. It is divided into two cantons of the arron ...
tin parents, Niko Etxart came back to the Basque Country from Paris with brand-new ideas about music in 1972, so turning into a forerunner of Basque rock music
''Euskal Rock&Roll''
in 1973, released in 1979) alongside Errobi, while especially in the traditional Northern Basque Country some lashed out at his looks, manners and music. He alternately performed onstage in ''verbenas'' (dancing music in local festivals) with the band Minxoriak up to 1994. In the area of
Mutriku Mutriku ( es, Motrico) is a coastal town located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Autonomous Community of Basque Country in northern Spain. It has a population of around 5000 and provides access to the Bay of Biscay. It is the site of the wor ...
, Itoiz, a milestone in Basque folk-pop music, was formed in 1978, with Juan Carlos Perez as its lead vocalist and front-man, releasing that very year the critically acclaimed album ''Itoiz'', which contained such poignant tracks as ''Hilzori'', ''Lau teilatu'' etc. Akin ensemble Haizea delivered a couple of good albums during this period.


The rise of Basque punk music

Up to that point, Basque music bands from the Southern Basque Country resorted to labels from Spain to record and release their works. Yet at the end of the 1970s and notably in the early 1980s, new regional publishers arose (Xoxoa, Soñua...), providing a springboard for small bands that previously found it difficult to see their works come to light. At the same time, a whole network of youth squats, the ''gaztetxes'', sprang up all over the Basque Country, so furnishing small bands with premises to rehearse and a venue to stage concerts. For the first time, a younger disaffected and unruly generation stemming from urban sprawls and towns could find an outlet to voice its protest along the lines of a punk outlook ("do it yourself"), but could not avoid being badly shaken by drugs. 1984 saw the surge of Basque punk rock, or ''
Basque Radical Rock Basque Radical Rock, ( es, Rock radikal vasco, eu, Euskal Herriko rock erradikala) was a musical genre born in the Southern Basque Country at the beginning of the 1980s and, although there was no specific event, it is considered to have ended in ...
'' (''Rock Radical Vasco'' in Spanish). Some popular bands jumping onto the rock scene were Zarama and
Eskorbuto Eskorbuto was a Spanish punk rock band from Santurtzi, Greater Bilbao, Basque Autonomous Community, that formed in 1980. They have been one of the most influential bands for Spanish and Latin American punk rock. They are known for their strong ...
from
Santurtzi Santurtzi ( es, Santurce; eu, Santurtzi ) is a port town in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, Spain. It is located in the Bilbao Abra bay, near the mouth of the Nervión river, on its left bank, 14 km do ...
, hard rock band
Barricada Barricada (from Spanish: ''Barricade'') were a Navarrese hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the ...
and whimsical Tijuana in Blue from
Pamplona Pamplona (; eu, Iruña or ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. It is also the third-largest city in the greater Basque cultural region. Lying at near above ...
,
La Polla Records La Polla Records was a punk rock band from the Basque Country, formed in 1979 in Salvatierra/Agurain, a small town in Álava, Spain. Its founders were Evaristo Páramos "Evaristo" on vocals, Maleguin on bass, Fernandito on drums and Txarly an ...
from Agurain,
Kortatu Kortatu was a Basque ska punk band from the Basque Autonomous Community formed in Irun in the summer of 1984. Kortatu was born in the context of the first democracy years in Spain in 1984. They had a big significance for left-wing basque natio ...
and Baldin Bada from Irun, Hertzainak, Cicatriz and Potato from Vitoria-Gasteiz, Jotakie,
RIP Rest in peace (RIP), a phrase from the Latin (), is sometimes used in traditional Christian services and prayers, such as in the Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Methodist denominations, to wish the soul of a decedent eternal rest and peace. ...
, Naste Borraste, MCD, BAP, Zer Bizio, Delirium Tremens, etc. Most of the times Spanish language was used, sometimes Basque, while other times bands were bilingual. This new musical trend clashed with the previous singer-songwriter tradition (generation gap), with both linking to different degrees to the leftist and
Basque nationalist Basque nationalism ( eu, eusko abertzaletasuna ; es, nacionalismo vasco; french: nationalisme basque) is a form of nationalism that asserts that Basques, an ethnic group indigenous to the western Pyrenees, are a nation and promotes the po ...
movement. Meanwhile, Itoiz kept its low-profile musical path switching to pop in the accomplished album ''Musikaz blai'' (three more LP albums followed), featuring internationally acclaimed songs like ''To Alice'', ''As Noites da Radio Lisboa'' or the catchy ''Marea gora''. Other bands of the late 1980s stack to a different path, gentle and even naïve, using Spanish-language lyrics and combining Spanish and international pop trends, take for instance, Duncan Dhu (with leading figure
Mikel Erentxun Mikel Erentxun (born 23 February 1965) is a Venezuelan-born Spanish rock musician of Basque heritage. Formerly with the group Duncan Dhu, he started his solo career in 1992. He has released 16 albums as a solo artist and has covered The Smi ...
), 21 Japonesas or Sanchis y Jocano, bands from the area of Donostia. Duncan Dhu especially attained big levels of popularity on the Spanish and international pop scene, giving rise to a tradition in ensuing years that was to be called "Donosti Sound" (Le Mans,
La Oreja de Van Gogh La Oreja de Van Gogh (; English: "Van Gogh's Ear") is a Spanish pop band from Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. The band's lyrics and compositions are written primarily by Xabi San Martín, and additionally by Pablo Benegas and Amaia Montero (wh ...
,...).


Current popular music


New trends

In 1990, Basque-language public radio station Euskadi Gaztea was born, intending to target the youth in a young, dynamic and informal manner, besides adding information, dealing with subjects Basque young people may be interested in and encouraging Basque groups. Basque music definitely opened its mind to trends all over the world. The flagship Basque rock band
Kortatu Kortatu was a Basque ska punk band from the Basque Autonomous Community formed in Irun in the summer of 1984. Kortatu was born in the context of the first democracy years in Spain in 1984. They had a big significance for left-wing basque natio ...
broke up in 1988 (live album ''Azken guda dantza''), and soon after brothers Muguruza put together project
Negu Gorriak Negu Gorriak (Basque for ''"Red Winters"'' or ''"Severe/Harsh Winters"'') were an underground Spanish group from the Basque Autonomous Community. Their musical style combines various styles of rock music such as hardcore punk, hip-hop, ska, and re ...
. They showed a different outlook compared to previous band Kortatu: The new band sang entirely in Basque, their approach showed an open mind, while sticking to the Muguruzas' signature protest song, as showed in their acclaimed video cli
''Radio Rahim''
that conjures up American hip-hop manners.
Punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
fell much in decay, while reggae as well as hardcore took over, e.g. Anestesia, Etsaiak, Sociedad Alkoholika, Su Ta Gar (
heavy Heavy may refer to: Measures * Heavy (aeronautics), a term used by pilots and air traffic controllers to refer to aircraft capable of 300,000 lbs or more takeoff weight * Heavy, a characterization of objects with substantial weight * Heavy, ...
), etc. M-ak launched its best albu
''Barkatu ama''
to critical acclaim, featuring styles ranging from hardcore to gentle tracks.


Folk and triki pop music

Early in the 1990s, younger generations took up folk again, finding a public that was eager to listen to milder tunes in Basque, e.g. Sorotan Bele, Mikel Markez, etc.
Trikitixa The trikiti (standard Basque, pronounced ) trikitixa ( dialectal Basque, pronounced ), or eskusoinu txiki ("little hand-sound", pronounced )) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve uni ...
schools finally bore fruit in the 1990s: The novelties brought about by the duo Tapia eta Leturia and
Kepa Junkera Kepa Junkera Urraza (born 1965 in Bilbao, Euskadi, Spain) is a Basque musician and composer. A master of the trikitixa, the diatonic accordion, he has recorded more than 10 albums. Allmusic/ref> Junkera won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk ...
confirmed them as compelling folk references in the Basque Country and even abroad. Novel trikitixa duos tried new ways that caught on, sometimes setting up bands including bass guitar and drums besides the set pair of
diatonic button accordion A melodeon or diatonic button accordion is a member of the free-reed aerophone family of musical instruments. It is a type of button accordion on which the melody-side keyboard contains one or more rows of buttons, with each row producing the ...
and tambourine (''triki pop''), e.g. Maixa eta Ixiar, Alaitz eta Maider, Gozategi. They usually offered a cheerful repertoire, with Gozategi's song ''Nirekin'' ("Emoixtaxux muxutxuek...") hitting the summer charts in 2000 beyond language boundaries.


Specialization and diversification

Rock band Hertzainak disbanded in 1993, while its members followed their own projects. Hertzainak frontman and controversial singer Gari started up a solo and very personal career with some accomplished songs that has established him as a compelling reference in Basque music, while Josu Zabala collaborated with other singers and a
bertsolari Bertsolaritza or bertsolarism is the art of singing extemporaneously composed songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various '' ...
group project, i.e. the original brass band Karidadeko Benta (first album 2003).
Power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...
band Urtz, formed in 1988, dealt with personal stories that slightly differed from the still prevailing protest topics and harsh language of the late 1980s, besides featuring an unprecedented chorus line that delivered some charming, upbeat and catchy songs. The band broke up in the early 2000s, but staged a comeback in 2013. In step with the hardcore punk tradition, the band
Berri Txarrak Berri Txarrak (''Bad News'' in English) is a Navarrese rock power trio whose songs are sung in Basque. It was founded in 1994 in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain. History Berri Txarrak originated in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain in 1994 as a parallel ...
from Lekunberri got together in 1994, releasing various albums and touring on Europe, where they come in for good reviews and gradually get a reputation that earned them performances and collaborations with important figures of indie rock all over the world. In August 2017, the band announced the recording of its ninth album at
The Blasting Room The Blasting Room is a recording studio in Fort Collins, Colorado. Founded by members of the punk rock band All in 1994, it is owned and operated by musician Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag, All, Only Crime) and Jason Livermore. Th ...
studio in
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the ...
. The band PiLT (
Mungia Mungia (in Spanish: ''Munguía'') is a town and municipality located in the province of Biscay, in the Basque Country of northern Spain. The town has 17,691 inhabitants (2019). Geography Mungia lies 20 metres above sea level in an area full of ...
), who showed a taste for metal and hard sounds (
Clawfinger Clawfinger is a Swedish rap metal band from Stockholm. The group is known for aggressive but melodic music and tackling political and anti-racist themes in their songs. History Origins: 1989–1991 The band's origin dates back to mid-1989, ...
, Soundgarden), jumped into spotlight in 1995 after winning the bootleg contest "Gaztea Sariak" granted by radio station Euskadi Gaztea, while the definite hit came in 1996 with single ''Hil da jainkoa'', earning them widespread recognition. Likewise heavy metal band Latzen came to public prominence after winning with the popular ballad ''Laztana'' the 1997 edition of the "Gaztea Sariak". The bands Skalariak (1994) and Betagarri (1992) took over the ska tradition, offering boogie inciting and swinging live concerts. In step with other multicultural experiences, such as
Fermin Muguruza Fermin Muguruza (born 20 April 1963) is a Basque rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, record label manager, and co-founder of the ska punk band Kortatu, active from 1983 to 1988, and of the crossover group Negu Gorriak, active from 19 ...
from
Negu Gorriak Negu Gorriak (Basque for ''"Red Winters"'' or ''"Severe/Harsh Winters"'') were an underground Spanish group from the Basque Autonomous Community. Their musical style combines various styles of rock music such as hardcore punk, hip-hop, ska, and re ...
or festive Joxe Ripiau to highlight but a few, in 2003 members of Etsaiak put together Pin pan pun band, a band with good connections in Latin America, releasing in 2005 the DVD ''Kuba-Mexiko Rock Tour 04'', which bore witness to their experience and live powerful concerts. Etsaiak got together again in 2008 (launched album ''Apurtu arte''). In the
French Basque Country The French Basque Country, or Northern Basque Country ( eu, Iparralde (), french: Pays basque, es, País Vasco francés) is a region lying on the west of the French department of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. Since 1 January 2017, it constitu ...
, the festive band Sustraia attained great popularity after 15 years on the road, while the sudden death of charismatic frontman Patrick Mixelena in January 2009, a.k.a. Mixu, made the group's future uncertain. Doctor Deseo was set up in
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
in 1986, releasing thereafter various albums during a period that spans more than 20 years. They deal with everyday and personal subjects in a rather poetic manner. Fito y los Fitipaldis (Bilbao) was formed in 1998 by
Platero y Tú Platero y Tú () was a Spanish rock and roll and blues rock band formed in Bilbao in the 1980s, and disbanded in 2001. Their lyrics mainly deal about drugs, bar issues and love, and their style, being mainly influenced by bands such as Status Qu ...
's frontman Fito Cabrales, comprising a variety of styles ranging soul, blues, swing, flamenco, tex-mex or Hawaiian guitars. The project kicked off with ''A puerta cerrada'' (40,000 albums sold so far) and grew steadily in popularity, one of the latest hit song being ''Rojitas las orejas''. In Donostia, youths from university gathered together in the mid-90s to rehearse. Yet they were in need of a singer for the band, so they fixed up a casting meeting with
Amaia Montero Amaia Montero Saldías (; born 26 August 1976) is a Spanish singer and songwriter mainly known as the former vocalist of the Spanish pop-band La Oreja de Van Gogh between 1996 and 2007. Amaia has sung in a variety of languages, including Basqu ...
that resulted in the creation of
La Oreja de Van Gogh La Oreja de Van Gogh (; English: "Van Gogh's Ear") is a Spanish pop band from Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain. The band's lyrics and compositions are written primarily by Xabi San Martín, and additionally by Pablo Benegas and Amaia Montero (wh ...
, who after launching album ''Dile al sol'' took off boosted by Amaia's mighty voice and catchy soft tunes trimmed with beautiful arrangements. New hit songs and albums followed. The band hailing from
Zarautz Zarautz (, es, Zarauz) is a coastal town located in central Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, in Spain. It is bordered by Aia to the east and the south and Getaria to the west, located about west of San Sebastián. It has four enclaves limiting the a ...
Delorean does electronic&rock with enthralling and trance raising live performances since 2000. It went international setting out on tours abroad including the United States. The band cancelled its 2013 international tour while in Mexico after a strange kidnapping attempt. A consistent career and musical know-how have confirmed several bands as compelling references as of 2014: Gatibu (
Gernika Guernica (, ), official name (reflecting the Basque language) Gernika (), is a town in the province of Biscay, in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, Spain. The town of Guernica is one part (along with neighbouring Lumo) of the m ...
), We Are Standard (
Getxo Getxo () is a town located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, in Spain. It is part of Greater Bilbao, and has 77,946 inhabitants (2019). Getxo is mostly an affluent residential area, as well as being th ...
), Atom Rhumba (
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
), Ken 7 ('minus seven', Gernika),
Berri Txarrak Berri Txarrak (''Bad News'' in English) is a Navarrese rock power trio whose songs are sung in Basque. It was founded in 1994 in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain. History Berri Txarrak originated in Lekunberri, Navarre, Spain in 1994 as a parallel ...
(Lekunberri),
Capsula Capsula are a Bilbao, Spain-based band from Buenos Aires, Argentina formed in 1998 by Martin L Guevara and Cyborg Coni Duchess. Their name is the Spanish word for capsule and derives from the David Bowie song "Space Oddity". Their album '' Sol ...
(
Bilbao ) , motto = , image_map = , mapsize = 275 px , map_caption = Interactive map outlining Bilbao , pushpin_map = Spain Basque Country#Spain#Europe , pushpin_map_caption ...
), to mention but a few.


Singer-songwriters and gentle music

The singer-songwriter approach that waned in the late 1980s shows presently a sound condition in the Basque scene, with some very outstanding figures, like poignant Anari, renowned for her intense, heartbreaking voice and songs, who is now taking off (live recording ''Anari Kafe Antzokian Zuzenean'' released in 2008). Other singer-songwriters include Petti, from
Bera Bera may refer to: Acronyms * Bioelectric recognition assay, a method in electrophysiology * Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority, an energy regulatory body in Botswana * Brainstem evoked response audiometry, a screening test to monitor for he ...
(
Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...
), with four albums published up to 2008, or the
bertsolari Bertsolaritza or bertsolarism is the art of singing extemporaneously composed songs in Basque according to various melodies and rhyming patterns. Bertsos can be composed at a variety of occasions but are performed generally by one or various '' ...
Mikel Urdangarin, featuring somewhat melancholic songs often accompanied on string and brass instruments. Following the folk and singer-songwriter tradition, Jabier Muguruza (born 1960) took up a solo career in 1994 after quitting other projects (Les Mecaniciens,...). The veteran musician composes and performs personal, mild songs with strong broody and literary lyrics. Meanwhile, some renowned figures of Basque folk music have kept on performing and creating, e.g.
Benito Lertxundi Benito Lertxundi is a Basque singer-songwriter born in Orio, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country in 1942. He is an acclaimed and veteran figure in Basque music, who spearheaded with other key figures its revival in the 1960s and following years, showing a ...
, or
Oskorri Oskorri is a folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology * Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and me ...
(fresh album ''Banda band'' in 2007, about to celebrate the ensemble's 35 anniversary). The celebrated singer-songwriter
Mikel Laboa Mikel Laboa Mancisidor (15 June 1934 – 1 December 2008) was one of the Basque Country's most important singer-songwriters. Considered the patriarch of Basque music, his music has had an influence on younger generations. A testament to this i ...
, considered a father figure of modern Basque music, died in December 2008. The ensembl
Bidaia
i.e. the couple Mixel Ducau and Caroline Phillips, offers gentle and elaborate folk music, while percussionist Benat Achiary (born 1947) provides an experimental approach, often featuring improvised passages in his performances (several albums released in the 1990s). Amaia Zubiria (born 1947 in Zubieta -
Gipuzkoa Gipuzkoa (, , ; es, Guipúzcoa ; french: Guipuscoa) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Its capital city is Donostia-San Sebastián. Gipuzkoa shares borders with the French dep ...
-), who has occasionally collaborated with him, holds a long and prolific career in the Basque song panorama: She came to the spotlight with progressive-folk group Haizea, having published some solo albums since and featuring a very pure mezzo-soprano voice. Her latest work is the album ''Nabil'' (2008). Site in Spanish


Samples


A footage of Saint Agatha's Eve


References


Further reading

* *


External links


Basque Music and Art (Buber's Basque Page)
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Basque Music Basque music"> Music of French subdivisions Music of Spain by autonomous community Basque