ZAHARRA BERRI

Published by DEIA, Feb. 10, 2010




Sometimes often it is said that already all is invented, that there is nothing new under the sun. I believe that it is not exactly true and that even if experience, sometimes, demonstrates that what seems to be new it is not; the truth is that the human being not only needs to create things but also has to believe that they are new. What's complicated begins at the time of defining what is new and not.

Today Thursday, at the central office of Euskaltzaindia (The Official Basque Language Academy) in the New Plaza of Bilbao and during the days organized by Bilbo Zaharra Euskaltegia under the title "Beti Bizi, Zaharra Berri” Xabier Amuriza and I will try to deepen into the different aspects related with the project BETI BIZI that we released, side by side last year.

In this work we found many of the elements that make reference of before to introduce the theme. On one side the ancient Biscayan ballads recovered thanks to the enormous work of Xabier Amuriza, one of those people that when one meets him remains dazzled by the human quality and the knowledge that he treasures within and that, mixed with a work capacity and an amazing persistence , makes the best traveling companion for a project of these characteristics. In addition, we have the melodies used always in the world of the dance and the traditional dance as well explained by Amuriza we worked to adorn the above-mentioned ballads and, finally, fusing it all with electronic music to reach up to a different atmosphere that suits in a special way to all the components of the project.

We will talk about it and how it relates with the popular literature, in a intimate act, with the public being a few meters away becoming an active part of the event and sharing an only and special environment.

What’s simple, what's natural, is always the best road to success. The most important findings have always been preceded of evident analysis that it seemed impossible not to have gotten there before. I suppose that we will not make big discoveries but I assure you that we will have a good time with the ballads, the music and our encounter.

www.kepajunkera.com

Published in DEIA, Jan 27, 2011

Published in DEIA, Jan 27, 2011





A place in which, not only their eyes are set on you but also energy, dreams and sensations come together. (Main auditorium)
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I often always imagine, even though I am still composing, how it will sound my music when I take it to a direct live concert that is where I like to experience it. I daydream and I make a guess how I will feel, how the public will receive it, and how the spectacle will take place. I believe that nobody escapes the temptation of trying to discover in our mind, as sighted clairvoyant, the so hoped-for future.
Thinking about it, we arrived to the Glaswegian city, in Scotland, where we present our project Beti Bizi in the prestigious Celtic music festival Celtic Connections.
Since 1993, Glasgow welcomes one of the most important worldwide festivities of Celtic music. This year, it began January 13 till the 30of this same month will close its doors, completing 18 days in which 1,500 artists will more of take part in the 300 concerts, events, talks etc… distributed in 14 stages throughout the whole city. Imagine yourselves for a moment the musical, cultural and personal explosion that all this supposes. The same day, there are a lot of concerts disseminated through the city and as a sequel to each day are the night-time jam sessions in the hotel of the festivity, where all artists that have taken part in the different events of the day meet and offer small live performance but in a intimate way, contributing still more that if it is so possible, to an amazing environment there in which one breathes.
The day of our performance arrived and everything worked wonderfully. We played in the main conference hall of the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the truth is that the concert was awesome. We all have a good time as never before. The band Leioa Kantika Korala and myself lived unforgettable moments. It was all as shocking as I had imagined it while we recorded Beti Bizi in the studio, as much, that I am looking forward to feel it again and to discover once more, that if it is intense to live it in first person, more is it to share with them and with you…..

www.kepajunkera.com

BETI BIZI

Published by the newspaper DEIA on July 1, 2010




Innovate and create something new, propose options, so far unknown, is something that is becoming increasingly hard. There is on one hand a simple calculation of probability and the other partly because our sense of wonder is narrowing a bit. Today, thanks to new technologies, our access to information is almost constant and in this globalized world we call that with one click of our mouse can travel virtually from one continent to another; it seems that nothing is going to draw attention. A few years ago the writer and bertsolari (Basque improviser singer) Xabier Amuriza had compiled a series of old Biscay songs among those that had carried out a selection and released an album that had a wide acceptance. But he still had remained material for another recording project and asked me if I was interested in working. Right away I said yes and began to imagine and intuit different ways to carry out this project. Of course, if I start to think about what I first imagined this album would be and it what it has finally become, the truth is that I am gobsmacked. Bizi Beti is the result of merging between the old Biscayan’s ballads, the voices of Leioa Kantika Korala completing the final product with the merge of the same with electronic music, resulting in a new recording project with a different proposal, brave and without complex. But getting here is essential to have the talent and dedication of a large team of people. I want to thank a very special way to Jose Luis Canal by schedules and arrangements he has been carried out, Basilio Astulez, Leioa Kantika Korala, Xabier Sarasola for that very special vision he has contributed to this album, and most particularly to Xabier Amuriza, great supporter of this project and I appreciate his generosity in sharing it with me. And finally each and every one of those who have taken part in this record, because to me all the notes are equally important, both the rhythm just as the melody.


www.kepajunkera.com