The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head. Tambourines are often used with regular percussion sets. They can be mounted, for example on a stand as part of a drum kit, or they can be held in the hand and played by tapping, hitting, or shaking the instrument.
In Spain, music has a long history. It has played an important role in the development of Western music, and has greatly influenced Latin American music. Spanish music is often associated with traditional styles such as flamenco and classical guitar. While these forms of music are common, there are many different traditional musical and dance styles across the regions. For example, music from the north-west regions is heavily reliant on bagpipes, the jota is widespread in the centre and north of the country, and flamenco originated in the south. Spanish music played a notable part in the early developments of western classical music, from the 15th through the early 17th century. The breadth of musical innovation can be seen in composers like Tomás Luis de Victoria, styles like the zarzuela of Spanish opera, the ballet of Manuel de Falla, and the classical guitar music of Francisco Tárrega. Nowadays commercial pop music dominates.
Basque music refers to the music made in the Basque Country, reflecting traits related to its society/tradition, and devised by people from that territory. While traditionally more closely associated to rural based and Basque language music, the growing diversification of its production during the last decades has tipped the scale in favour of a broad definition.
The txalaparta is a specialized Basque music device of wood or stone. In some regions of the Basque Country, zalaparta means "racket", while in others txalaparta has been attested as meaning the trot of the horse, a sense closely related to the sound of the instrument.
The trikititrikitixa, or eskusoinu txiki ) is a two-row Basque diatonic button accordion with right-hand rows keyed a fifth apart and twelve unisonoric bass buttons. The onomatopoeia trikitixa, apparently stemming from the sound emitted by the tambourine, originally referred to a traditional Basque ensemble, made up of the instrument which now bears the name as well as alboka, txistu and other instruments.
The Basque alboka is a single-reed woodwind instrument consisting of a single reed, two small diameter melody pipes with finger holes and a bell traditionally made from animal horn. Additionally, a reed cap of animal horn is placed around the reed to contain the breath and allow circular breathing for constant play. In the Basque language, an alboka player is called albokari. The alboka is usually used to accompany a tambourine singer.
John Michael Kirkpatrick is an English musician, playing free reed instruments such as the accordion and concertina and performing English folk songs and tunes.
Kepa Junkera Urraza is a Basque musician and composer. A master of the trikitixa, the diatonic accordion, he has recorded more than 10 albums. Junkera won the Latin Grammy Award for Best Folk Album in 2004 for his album K.
Alma de Buxo is an album by Galician gaita (bagpipes) player Susana Seivane, released in 2002.
The kirikoketa is a specialized Basque music wooden device akin to the txalaparta and closely related to working activities. It is classified as an idiophone. It has lately caught on with cultural circles from the Basque Country at a local level.
The txistu is a kind of fipple flute that became a symbol for the Basque folk revival. The name may stem from the general Basque word ziztu "to whistle" with palatalisation of the z. This three-hole pipe can be played with one hand, leaving the other one free to play a percussion instrument.
Ion Garmendia Anfurrutia is a Basque musician from Ibarra, Gipuzkoa. He began taking voice lessons and studying txistu in 1988 in Ibarra. In 1997, he entered into a teacher training program in Gasteiz, and in 1999 began learning the alboka. In 2002 entered in Musikene to study "nuevas tendencias en la música tradicional" under Kepa Junkera. He later partnered with fellow musician Ibon Koteron, and his proficiency in the alboka and gaita navarra were intensified. He also studied the txalaparta and the pandero with Iñaki Plaza Murga. From 2004 to 2008, he was part of Kepa Junkera’s group as a txalapartari, txistulari, albokari, and percussionist. As a txistulari, he has played in the municipal bands of Donostia and Tolosa, and is currently a part of the municipal band of txistularis of Tolosa. He continues to be a member of Ibon Koteron's band, and is currently involved in the "Twenty Fingers Project" with Inaki Plaza Murga. The first discographic work of this project is projected to be introduced next winter.
Iñaki Plaza Murga is a Basque musician from Bilbao, Biscay. He began studying trikitixa and traditional Basque percussion in 1993. He later began studying ethnic percussion as well as the hindú slat with Sergey Sapricheff. He played with Kepa Junkera until 2008, and currently plays with Ibon Koteron and “Etxak” as a txalapartari, percussionist and trikitilari. He partners with Ion Garmendia Anfurrutia on their current project, entitled “Hogeihatz Proiektua”. The first discographic work of this project is projected to be introduced next winter.
Benito Lertxundi is a Basque singer-songwriter born in Orio, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country in 1942. He is an acclaimed and veteran figure in Basque music, who spearheaded with other key figures its revival in the 1960s and following years, showing a special commitment to Basque culture and matters in general.
Kalakan is a music band from the northern Basque Country composed of Jamixel Bereau, Xan Errotabehere and Bixente Etchegaray. It is characterized by minimalist arrangements of Basque traditional songs. After having collaborated and toured Europe with pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, the trio become more widely known when they collaborated with Madonna during The MDNA Tour.
Gatibu is a Basque rock band from Gernika-Lumo, Biscay, northern Spain. Its name "Gatibu" means 'captive' in Basque. The group was formed around Alex Sardui, former lead vocalist of Exkixu, in summer 2002.
Aste Nagusia or "The Great Week" is the main festival of Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain, which is celebrated annually over 9 days beginning on the first Saturday following 15 August, the festivity of the Assumption of Our Lady.
The Basque Country is a cross-border cultural region that has a distinctive culture including its own language, customs, festivals, and music.
Bulgarka Junior Quartet is a Bulgarian vocal folklore ensemble.
"Sodade" is a Cape Verdean song written in the 1950s by Armando Zeferino Soares, and best popularized by Cesária Évora on her 1992 album Miss Perfumado. The name is the Cape Verdean Creole variant of the Portuguese term saudade.
