The sound of natural born innovators

A new step forward of the trikitixa



Amuriza, Leioa Kantika Junkera Koral and joining tradition and modernity in assigning "surprising"




Published by Ander Egiluz Beramendi for DEIA on July 4, 2010

Betibizi. Immortelle. It is the flower that is placed on the lapel of the dancers, and is the title of the new album with the signature of Xabier Amuriza, Leioa Kantika Koral, along with the inexhaustible Kepa Junkera. "The title has a double meaning," says the bertsolari of Etxano-“On one side is a direct reference to the flower of the dancers, a tribute to them all, and secondly the demand for the dance, of its vitality and eternity”.
The album, published by Hiri Records, has great coral presence, also having the trikitixa of Junkera and with the foundations on ancient ballad Biscayan´songs and classical melodies of dance that Amuriza has collected and sorted. But it does not sound as expected. The CD, shocks you, a lot. "People may be surprised," the musician of Rekalde sincerely says. "It's an album to enjoy listening to in a hi-fi system". And if anything characterizes the large group that has join together in this project- so many names that always one is always left behind, is the obsession for a work well done. "I've been very careful with this recording because I know how Xabier works and the time he has spent on its and I wanted to be at the height of the circumstances," says the trikitilari.

With a copy in his hand, Amuriza laughs from the little that the CD holds in comparison with the books in which, ten years ago, recovered the verses. "So much work and so little presence," jokes the two of them, with a very good reason: the first steps of the project were taken "almost nine years ago!”, exclaims Junkera.

The label market situation also is not at all buoyant and explains the musician, "it will become increasingly more difficult to make records like this, many years of work." But creativity can not stop on breaking down barriers.

Innovate

Beyond the triki and tambourine

What is most striking in the first electronic sounds heard that the artist used for this. The album is the second part of a project that Amriza began more than a decade, with the recording Bizkaiko kopla zaharrak, in which Tapia ta Leturia participated. On that occasion the result was more classic, "The Sound of lifelong triki with melodies and lyrics together forever," says Xavier. But for this second part I wanted to change the recording -there fits the idea of mixing dance tunes with other types of ballads-, and who became his traveling companion, Kepa Junkera, also soughing new atmospheres. "It has always caught my attention to play differently," honestly speaking Junkera. "Not always playing the triki with the tambourine."

The “hunger and appetite” got together, two natural born innovators, ground-breakers, each in his personal field. Xabier revolutionized improvisation by showing that it was not a privilege of gifted persons and Kepa did the same to bring trikitixa to dispute in the market, and often to pull it off, with the mass of radio pop formulas. On their innovative impulses Amuriza believes that "we must be daring." "Also, at that moment you do not realize the impact of those changes retrospectively. Perhaps we are looking too far into the future ...”



Kepa Junkera, despite of always seek new ways for that “infernal bellows” -like he called the triki in his first album, "it´s still thrilling ,in a special way, to hear the sounds of the most classic trikitixa: “Fasi, Epelde, Leon Bilbao... were persons with a special charisma and when I hear those sounds something stirs up inside of me." But this time, in addition to the innovations proposed by Xabier and the electronic bases, the guy of Rekalde "I wanted to do new things with the choir." And that's where Astulez Basilio comes in, the director of Leioa Kantika Koral, "a man who does an awesome job," according to Junkera. He was a great challenge for a choir because, for one, it meant to record separately and in one same microphone the alto, bass ... But the final result has been impeccable. "It's exciting to see a group of girls so young and so serious liking to do new things," says Junkera.



This type of projects "stimulate the imagination and inspiration and making you enjoy it," says rekaldetarra (a person born in the Rekalde) proudly looking at the CD. "And that is important," he adds. Both artists agreed that sentimentally finishing the job "it´s a pride." To which Kepa adds that Betibizi "it´s an album that gives us fresh air." New and innovative. Something about what Amuriza reconsiders in the preface of the album: "The effect has been fascinating." It will cushion the effect for the conversion of novelty in practice?” Not so. May it continue to open new paths, even if the circumstances appear to be adverse. A great album.

www.kepajunkera.com