Music from the Basque Country Mix
The latest of my music mixes is here and can be listened to now on K.O.L. Radio’s online channel. For this one, I’ve put together a playlist of music from Euskal Herria (Basque Country). It samples some of the various musical styles and introduces the most well-known singers and musicians.
All the songs are sung in the Basque language – Euskara – possibly the oldest language in Europe and, it seems, unrelated to any other language. There is a mix of trikitixa, triki-pop, singer-songwriters, one or two rock bands, and a dash of the old txalaparta wooden percussion instrument.
Among the artists I’ve chosen are famed trikitixa player Kepa Junkera, as well as triki-pop duo Alaitz eta Maider and band Huntza. The most important singer-songwriters are represented by Mikel Laboa, Benito Lertxundi, Ruper Ordorika and Mikel Urdangarin. And it all begins with the first Basque music I ever listened to by Maixa ta Ixiar.
The most recent tracks are those by Mikel Urdangarin and by father and daughter duo Esti eta Mikel Markez. Both are from albums released just a few months ago. By contrast, the Oskorri track, with a vocal by renowned singer Mikel Laboa, is from the band’s 25th anniversary concert in 1996.
The show is online here:
The playlist order with artist names and song titles is below.
Maixa ta Ixiar ‘Espartzinarena’
Ken Zazpi ‘Gaueko argiak’
Kepa Junkera ‘Madagaskar’
Kirmen Uribe ft. Mikel Urdangarin ‘Sausalitora bidean’
Izaki Gardenak ‘Horma eta haizea’
Benito Lertxundi ‘Baldorba’
Alaitz eta Maider ‘Amets bat’
Oreka TX ‘Keinuka Ilargiari’
Fermin Muguruza ‘Eguraldi lainotsua hiriburuan’
Agurtzane eta Ion Elustondo ‘Bidetxurretik’
Ruper Ordorika ‘Itzala’
Oskorri with Mikel Laboa ‘Aita Semeak’
Beñat Igerabide ‘Helduen Mozorroa’
Korrontzi ‘Joxek Andreari’
Esti eta Mikel Markez ‘Oroitzapenek Esnatu Naute’
Willis Drummond ‘Lehentasuna’
Mikel Urdangarin ‘Hiru Ahizpatik Bigarrena’
Huntza ‘Aldapan gora’
For more information and reviews, please have a look at the Basque Music category of this blog.
Special thanks to my friend Anjel Valdes who first awakened my interest in Basque music and culture. He also produced some of the albums from which these tracks were sourced. My interview with him is in the Features Archive.
Explore posts in the same categories: Basque Music, Radio Mixes
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