Go, girls, go!

[Dingo40]

An all girls group 

 

[maugein96]

An all girls group 

Youngsters enjoying themselves playing their accordions. Thought it must have been a 50s video at first!

From what Ive read there are still quite a few Brazilian youngsters taking up the accordion, possibly a greater percentage than in most other countries. Brazilian accordion music appears to be acceptable to the younger set in a way that it isnt in western Europe. 

In countries like Spain, where the accordion never appears to have developed any genres dedicated to it, it is very rare to hear the instrument being played at all. There are folk traditions in Galicia and the Basque country which use diatonic accordions, but full sized instruments only appear to be popular in certain areas. 

However, if you step over the border into that part of the Basque country that is nominally in France, you might just get to hear a full sized box being used to play Spanish music. 



Louis Camblor from the Bayonne area is one of the relatively few French accordionists who composed pasos and other Spanish themed tunes, with the Frenchness coming through in the tuning of his box. I do believe such material is regarded very much as old hat these days. Indeed I can only think of one young Basque recording artiste who still plays in that style. His name is Thierry Etchegaray, and youll get him on You Tube (as usual). A significant part of Louis Camblors repertoire is dedicated to Basque folk, as here:-



Louis will be a good age, and Im not really sure if he is still on the go. He is without doubt the most prolific Basque recording artiste, playing everything from Basque folk to Latin and musette. He has made a lot of frankly woeful videos that can be enjoyed on You Tube. The music is OK, but the rest is a matter of taste.

 

[Dingo40]

Thanks for responding and the videos, John: all good for my musical education!

 

[maugein96]

Thanks for responding and the videos, John: all goo for my musical education!

Almost forgot,

This pair are also Basques, but are from the Spanish side near San Sebastian. They both used to play bog standard French Cavagnolos, which made many believe they were French. 

I believe Idoia Laburu may now be resident in the US, although Joxan is now into serious music on a wooden Victoria accordion. Doubt if he will ever be a household name, unless he changes it to Johnny Smith, or something similar.

 

[Tom]

Good to see all these people having such fun!

 

[losthobos]

Infectious..

 

[Eddy Yates]

Thanks, Dingo. Here in the Western U.S., there are quite a few Basque communities, especially in Nevada and the San Francisco Bay Area. Poet and musician David Romdvedt has been responsible for revival of the music in Buffalo, Wyoming, where he and his family run a festival, Worlds of Music, during the summer. He has brought many of the best Basque musicians over.
True, not many full size accordions, but great stuff.
Accordion starts at 17 minutes with the great Joey Miskulin, not Basque. David and Caitlin singing a Basque tune at 48 minutes.

 

[Dingo40]

Thanks again, John, and for the clip.
I notice some " note bending ", as in harmonica playing.

Eddy, thanks for the clip and the background. The world is full of music !

Losthobos and Tom, thanks for responding!