IDARETA

Published by DEIA, July 14, 2011



Human tides, liters and liters of various drinks, music and, how not, the mythical, famous bull running, that gives personality to such a unique city as Iruñea. St. Fermín is a worldwide event in which thousands of tourists come to live different experiences, sometimes, even to the limit. But while I see the images of a day’s bull running on TV I remember a lot of friends that live around there, one of them Fran Idareta, an accordionist whom I have shared stage in several occasions with, and that has been protagonist of an excellent news that exemplifies his great personal personality. Fran has achieved his doctorate in Social Work, which is not all.

His thesis concludes with fascinating discoveries that at the same time are so logical as when in treating a patient "we should talk about a person by their name, with a past and a specific life, having a subjective vision of their sufferings". And it is that, in words of Fran Idareta, “we should not hide ourselves behind the diagnostic data’s, but instead looking into the person’s face, touchable and definite, that who suffers. We do not only have to know, we also have to feel". The data, knowledge, theories are absolutely necessary but, as very well Idareta points out, all of that is not much to us if we do not empathize with the patient.

They have always taught us that the human being is almost totality formed of water but I would go a bit a further, if water is physically our base element, then I would bet that in the same measure that our feelings are the essential motor of the immaterial human essence and that way it is practically impossible to be able to tackle the cure of a disease if we do not take into account the other “I" of the individual, where we find the encouragement, the illusion and the hope in oneself.

Fran Idareta has opened up a different road that I hope others will continue, but somehow he has already gone through a similar territory when he discovers that with his accordion and his art he surpassed emotions and the illusions of those who listen to him, because music also gives us health and feeds our human soul.

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AUKERAK

Published by DEIA, July 7, 2011



This week’s column had a theme that we are not going to talk about, when I already had finished the article and just about to email it I read an article in DEIA that captivated me and at the same time it aroused a lot of queasiness in me.

A driving school of Basauri is teaching to drive the first person in Europe that uses his legs as his arms. For me it is another example of a human overcoming his adversities, but at the same time, the story has much more to say.

David Rivas, is the name of the student, is from Madrid and his problem is that he was born armless. He works coordinating a team of 11 people inside the Integralia Foundation that makes the procedures of appointments at the La Paz Hospital. Ok, this far all is normal. What got my interested was that someone from Madrid had to ask for a month off to be able to come to Euskadi (Basque Country) to face this challenge in trying to earn his driving license with a car that is adapted to his handicap. There are many driving schools with cars adapted to the most common handicaps but nobody wanted to accept the challenge to make it possible, opportunity for David to earn his license permit? They say that David handles the computer perfectly with his feet, in which his ability he does have.

It is sad that people with so obvious difficulties many times the surroundings, either social level, economic or of another nature, raise even more obstacles, making it even more difficult than it is already.

But this news also offers us another understanding, the pride to know that although in many occasions we are criticized for our political and ideological reasons and sometimes even for our culture, the truth of the matter is that there are great many avant-garde people like the driving school Irrintzi that are daring to take the adventure, as this one, showing that the Basques are neither better nor worse then others, but we are, and allow me the expression... AWESOME!




Good luck David and ….. burn rubber.

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TANGER

Published by DEIA, June 30, 2011



Seated in my chair taking notes over my small sensations that comes to my mind in my notebook remembering the first time that I stepped on Moroccan lands, our destiny? The city of Tangier, to attend the Tarab Tangier, international festivity of folk music in which we were invited to share our music with groups of India, Iran, Portugal and Bulgaria.

Tangier is a city in the northern part of Morocco situated at the coasts of the Strait of Gibraltar, and example of a different neighbor’s culture. The Festivity, in his third edition and under the motto Crossroads, took place the 22nd till the 26th of June, in which we performed Saturday the 25th. It’s time to go out on stage and we perform in a privileged surrounding, a Portuguese’s fortress of the XVIIth century on the dock. I was delighted by the spirit of this soul festivity as a distinguish link of artistic and cultural international interchange level. Coincidences of life, we had just released our new project Ultramarinos & Coloniales and, all of a sudden, I see myself walking by those incredible Medinas, (The Medinas are the most exciting places of most of the Moroccan cities. In them are concentrated a great commercial, cultural and free activity of the population) alleys as if fraught mazes of commerces and stands, with unique colors, radiating life. Exclusives corners that is necessary to search for to discover part of this culture and a kind of so odd life. Even in the same festivity they offered us their typical foods with lots of spice, different and very suggestive flavors that are also a part of the surroundings and the culture of a fascinating country. As I understand it I think that is how a festival should be, representing an interchange with the people from out of town, carrying out a true cultural encounter across-the-board.


After the presentation, straight off the street at the old quarter of Bilbao, Ultramarinos & Colonial begins his way walking through the different stages that we will wander around for the next few months. Now it is our turn, let’s pull on stage the rhythms, melodies and all the emotions that we are capable to create: "these are our products". And I insure you that the people of Tangier…Have shopped!!!

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ULTRAMARINOS & COLONIALES

Published by DEIA, June 23, 2011



Inerasable memories of unmistakable aromas and unique characters that they become part of an "external" family that they accompanied the happy and unconscious step of my childhood.

The grocery stores have marked that different view of the close; daily commerce's and above all family style that today in day, for several motives, it´s almost hard to even find one.

Taking a walk by the 7 streets I delved into that memory and I came up with the idea of dedicating them this new record, because at the bottom I have tried to materialize, thanks to music, the same sensations that one experiences when he enters an establishment of that nature, discovering always new details and different aromas, but on a known base.

In this project I have counted only on the collaboration of the musicians of my band, and the fact is that it has been on purpose, because I wanted to get that special sonority that in the course of the years has accompanied me in my concerts, mixed with my compositions where, almost without meaning to, they have kept on surfacing quantity of feelings and own experiences lived in these few years. I want to thank to all and every one of the people that have helped to “wrap up” this dream in that brown paper for the effort and the support and, mainly, to José Luís Canal, for his attitude and the dedicated affection while we traveled side by side to far away places of the soul to bring part of rhythms and the melodies that the album holds.


The cycles follow and the stories repeat itself, and these commerce will return to reappear. I am sure, because I believe that we live in a moment where we begin to appraise and needing more of the real than the superfluous or the accessory for very nice, perfect and practical that they can sell it. Each day we agreed and we look intensely for the heart of the essence, escaping of the right things but insipid, of the perfect but empty.

With freedom and the confidence of what it is offered. Insurance of quality and the affection put in this elaboration and presentation: ULTRAMARINOS & COLONIALES (GROCERY & COLONIAL STORE), because always there are music fluttering in the memories

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AHOTS MUGAK

Published by DEIA, June 16, 2011






AN anniversary is something that does not have less relevance because of its repetitive, it depends the same one belonging to the nature of the event that stands out.

Next Saturday, June 18, will have place in the Church of San Juan Bautista Saint of Leioa a very special concert that will begin the 10th year celebration of Leioa Kantika Korala, a commemoration that reflects the effort of many people making won choral music, albums and with a great deal, very much, talent. At 8:30 p.m., and in addition to Kantika, also will participate in the same act, the juvenile chorus of feminine voices The Kantoria and San Abesbatza, of mixed voices, all belonging to the Municipal Conservatory´s Choral School of Leioa, inaugurating three compositions entrusted and written specially for that day by Xabier Sarasola, Josu Elberdin and Javier Busto.

I have always sought to intertwine the sound of the different instruments among themselves. The sum of their personalities is a magical combination. The voice is the most complex and perfect instrument God forbid existed and the sound that it is capable to express has gotten to excite us during thousands of years that we all have brought ourselves near to that so complex and demanding world. For some time now I have been collaborating with Leioa Kantika Korala, trying to investigate, to discover and to create next to them, a whole world of shared sonorities, converting this collaboration in a fascinating adventure and a true pleasure.

In future dates Leioa Kantika Korala will share their music through the Catalan lands, the French Provence and Sunday, July 24 in Zornotza Amorebieta, next to the great Xabier Amuriza and ourselves, that we will present, one more time, the spectacle Beti Bizi, with a fusion of voices, ancient Biscayan ballads, melodies of dance and a lot of illusion.

With the most ancient, the voice, you write down new full spaces of shades, colors and textures that I am absolutely delighted by... ZORIONAK eta mila esker!!! (Congratulations and Thank you!!!)


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GORRITI

Published by DEIA, June 9, 2011





I remember a very special visit to one of the most authentic people that I know.
It was cool outside. It was autumn, a luminous day of those but humid at the same time, the ones that I like, with the aroma of the wooden smoke coming out from the chimney. The Malloak in front, as if of a giant-sized painting in three dimensions we talked about and at the front door of his home, its owner, Juan Gorriti, sculptor, painter and a thousand things more, but above all owner of his own destiny like few I have known.
I greet him with a strong hug and after a long and amusing chat he invites me in to taste the beans his wife has prepared. Everything next to Gorriti tastes different; he has the pleasure of what's sincere. A slug of wine, a couple of fried eggs and one already forgets about the problems of the city, hastes, paperwork...
Gorriti is a man with a special magic, with the wisdom of a farm man and the most creative artists' talent. A human being that, unlike other ones, expresses what he feels bluntly, in a natural way. Always it is said that artists receive infinity of influences and I believe that in the case of Gorriti those influences are mutual because anyone that has talked with him or has seen his artworks realizes that inspires life in all that he touches and converts the common, the normal in something with proper and different personality.
I am fascinated with his vision of what surrounds him: “Our villages and farmhouses, mountains, forests, all that surrounds us are big art galleries... ” Their art, their talent, are an accurate reflection of their philosophy of life, without internal wars obscuring their existing, letting oneself get carried away by what is born inside, without filters. And, curiously, that seems the less risky for us all, I believe is what really satisfies him, turning his gaze into something clean and in peace.
All that wraps him up is susceptible to be a part of his art although, particularly, I am delighted with what one is capable of achieving with wood, creating, like Mother Nature, transforming.

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ITSUMEN?

Published by Deia, June 2, 2011



A crosswalk, stoplight for pedestrians and a blind person with a guide dog arrives at my side. Green! We rapidly cross over; the blind person keeps reading each pull and each turn of the strap of the dog. I suppose that at this point his arm has become another sense more that completes and balance the visual scarcity.

Disabled, handicapped... are words whose use I disagree upon, most of all, for what it is associates to. Is one disabled because he that cannot run the 100 meters in 11 seconds? Or is it the one that does not know about music? Or are we handicapped the ones who cannot see through our hands? Strange definitions

Touching Images is an exposition of photographs in relief of known celebrities, divided in two halls; The Ondare Hall, at María Díaz of Haro St. and the BBK Hall, at the Gran Vía, both in Bilbao, and will be exposed till the 30th of June. The artificer of all this is the photographer Juan Torre, that thought that it would be interesting to be able to bring closer a photographic exposition to the blind people by means of reliefs That will allow them to discover all the details of the image but without using the sense of sight, just the touch. No sooner said than done, Juan began to call on his models, which I am included among them, taking my snapshots. He contacted the company Estudios Durero who worked on creating the necessary relief to each photograph in order to achieve the depths, textures and shapes.

What an incredible experience, closing one's eyes and facing the image only with your fingers! It’s so strange to see with your hands, to examine by touch each wrinkle or each relief of the photo.

I imagine that using the sense of touch, learning from zero will be something like when one discovers the different concepts that encloses the music and begins to listen instead of hearing, one step that requires effort and, most of all, unlearning what was learned until then.

Exciting how our brain, sometimes, we have to format part of the information to install new concepts. Forgetting what has been learned is necessary, sometimes, to learn the unknown.


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