For David Romtvedt, playing his accordion is a way of helping Basque people maintain their unique culture.
Since the mid-1990s, the wiry accordionist has been belting out fandangos and other folk and dance tunes with the Bighorn Basque Club in Buffalo, Wyoming. He recently played with the group’s dancers at the huge Jaialdi 2010 international Basque festival in Boise.
“It’s really, really important to me,” Romtvedt says of playing his diatonic button accordion, known as a trikitixa in the Basque language of Euskera. “The music is linked to Basque people maintaining their culture as Basques.”
Additional Euskal Kazeta accordionist videos, articles: Kepa Junkera Live in Chino Kepa Junkera Hopes to Spread Basque Music
The hometown Oinkari Dancers performed to an enthusiastic crowd during the recent Jaialdi 2010 international Basque festival at Boise’s Expo Idaho fairgrounds.
The group, which usually performs dances from the Basque province of Bizkaia, changed their routine for the festival and danced several numbers from the province of Nafarroa. The Oinkari Dancers are celebrating their 50th anniversary year and held a reunion brunch during Jaialdi. For more information on that event, see Euskal Kazeta’s article.
More than a dozen music and dance groups from the United States and the Basque Country were on hand for the day-long celebration attended by thousands of people. The week-long Jaialdi festival concludes today with final day of festivities at the fairgrounds.
Among the groups was Mutxiko Elkartea, which came to the festival from the Basque Country.
Thousands of people were treated to a Basque cultural extravaganza Saturday July 31 as Jaialdi 2010 moved to the Expo Idaho fairgrounds in the first of two days of celebrations at the sprawling center.
Basque athletes Aimar Irigoien and Ugaitz Mugertza enjoy the festival. Photo: Euskal Kazeta.
The huge fairground was filled with vendors, an exhibit of Basque sheepherder wagons and two arenas where dance and musical groups from Basque communities in the United States and the Basque Country performed colorful routines for festival-goers who filled the bleachers in the air-conditioned center.
Boise has become an epicenter for all things Basque as the mammoth Jaialdi 2010 festival launched this week with celebrations in and around the city’s Basque Block.
Culture, music, dance, food, drink and sports abounded as thousands of people from Basque communities in Latin America, the United States, Canada and Europe flocked to Boise. Make sure to follow Euskal Kazeta on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook for all the Jaialdi action.
The popular Boise-based Basque music group “Amuma Says No” performed Wednesday July 14 in the Homegrown Concert Series in Washington D.C. The series features top artists performing traditional music and dance routines from a variety of cultures in the United States.
The band's music was a hit at the Bakersfield 09 Festival. Photo: Euskal Kazeta
The group was interviewed by Capitol News Connection. You can listen to the interview and find out how the band members came up with the name of their group. Here’s a hint: Amuma is grandmother in the Basque language of Euskera.
Formed in 2006, the group plays traditional and modern Basque dance music, as well as Basque-flavored folk and rock tunes.
“Amuma Says No,” the popular Basque music band from Boise, will be playing Wednesday July 14 in the prestigious Homegrown Concert Series in Washington D.C.
The series features top artists performing traditional music and dance routines from a variety of cultures in the United States.
For the Basque band Luhartz, playing for Basque-American audiences is a way to acknowledge the hard work made by local Basque clubs to promote the culture of their homeland.
The group, which specializes in Basque dance music, has performed at Basque festivals in San Francisco, Bakersfield, Boise and Reno since first coming to the U.S. in 2002.
The five-member band played Friday June 4 at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francsico and will play again Sunday June 6 during the San Francisco Basque Club’s annual festival at the Petaluma fairgrounds. Before that, they were at the Kern County Basque festival during Memorial Day weekend.
As he continues to innovate with his musical style, renowned Basque accordionist Kepa Junkera will be playing at Basque clubs in Boise and Chino this month.
The world music and Basque folk music accordionist – known in Basque as a trikitilari because of the special diatonic button accordion he plays – has been working on a trio of CDs that include songs and music videos performed with a number of artists in the United States and Latin America.
Long-time members of the Bay Area’s Basque community sometimes say that it seems just like yesterday when the San Francisco Basque Club was formed, back in 1960. The club has been celebrating its 50th anniversary in a big way this year, with several significant events.
In March, the club celebrated with a Bertzolaritza — bringing together expert bertsolaris, including two champions from the Basque Country. Next month the club will be celebrating its 50th anniversary with a weekend of sports, music with a group from the Basque Country and great food.
The festivities, sponsored by the club and the Basque Cultural Center, kick off Friday June 4 with an evening dedicated to the history of pilota, or Basque handball, in San Francisco. The program begins with a 6 p.m. handball game at the cultural center’s handball court, followed by a dinner and dance with entertainment by Luhartz, a five-piece band from the Basque Country. The group formed in 1983 and specializes in traditional Basque music.
