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Written in fRoots issue 193, 1999

ALBOKA
Bi Beso Lur
Aztarna AZ 004 (1998)

Alboka, the instrument, is a short two-bored pipe, with a single reed in each bore, a curved wooden handle beneath, and a cow-horn at both ends, and it’s traditional in Euskadi (the Basque country), played melody against drone and using circular breathing, in effect a bag-less bagpipe.
      Alboka, the band, comprises musicians who have been working together on various projects for many years: Alan Griffin on alboka, bagpipe, txirula and other wind instruments, Josean Martin Zarko on guitar and bouzouki, violinist Juan Arriola, and button accordionist and Aztarna label boss Joxan Goikoetxea (who in 1993 collaborated with Juan Mari Beltrán on the powerful and progressive txalaparta-centred Egurraren Orpotik Dator).
      Bi Beso Lur presents Euskal traditional dance and song tunes and three originals in predominantly instrumental arrangements. It’s skilful, lively and varied, drawing on a range of Euskal traditions including occasionally trikitixa, with an approach perhaps closer to European acoustic folk bands than to the triki-centred traditional and pop music which is a strong feature of contemporary Euskal music. Long-time Euskadi resident Griffin’s alboka playing shows his fine command of Euskal traditional technique, while particularly on flute he shows stylistic flashes from his background in Irish music. The band has understandably picked up some ideas and probably motivation from the Celtic revival (including an intentional reference in which an arin-arin is introduced by some Irish diddling), and elsewhere, but purity of tradition is a futile quest in modern music anyway, and references and connections can be a means to the end of exploring and gaining perspectives on the possibilities of a tradition’s melodies and rhythms.
      The label has so far released five albums, beginning in 1995 with Goikoetxea’s excellent solo album, and all of them are not only audio discs but have CD-ROM capabilities, consisting of impressively and ingeniously presented graphic information, design, audio and text (in four languages) - traditional instruments displayed with sound samples, photos, posters and background on the musicians and so on.


© 1999 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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