Maddi Oihenart is one of the most fascinating, rich and authentic voices of the Basque folk music. She represents and enriches the singing of Zuberoa, territory of the Northern Basque Country where the singing of the shepherds has been kept alive and is now more cared for, respected and loved than ever.
After the success she had with her first solo album, called Hari Biru (Elkar, 2007), Maddi now presents a new magical project together with Juantxo Zeberio, a composer and pianist from Tolosa: Baldi.
Baldi is somehow the continuation of Hari Biru: an extremely tender album where poetry and the bareness of the instruments give way to the pure, infinite and extremely personal voice of Maddi Oihenart.
This beautiful album contains ten songs chosen by Maddi and Juantxo. The lyrics have been written by some of the most present-time poets and writers of the Basque contemporary scenario, such as Kirmen Uribe, Itxaro Borda, Leire Bilbao, Bernardo Atxaga, Karlos Linazasoro and Maddi Oihenart herself.
Most of the arrangements and compositions have been made by Juantxo Zeberio, who has given each song a fragrance of freshness and clarity, with touches from the fields of folk and jazz, amongst others.
But this album has a special ingredient which marks the distinction with the previous one: the orchestral arrangements of Et Incarnatus Orchestra in the song that opens the album (Nire ispilua). In fact, the orchestra fills the first song with a warm and perhaps aerial character, accompanied by colours which highlight the naturalness of the compositions.
The same group as in Hari Biru has been a loyal companion. The double bass of Txema Garcés and the cello and accordion of Pello Ramirez bring coherence and great quality, and fit perfectly with the pure and personal style of Maddi Oihenart.
Besides, excellent collaborators have taken part in the album, such as Hasier Oleaga playing the drums and Javier Paxariño.
Baldi will seduce and captivate you as soon as you listen to it. Its tenderness and warmness will take you to recondite fields of your memory.
THIS ALBUM IS AVAILABLE IN CD AND IN MP3.
Orai significa ahora en el euskera que se habla al norte de los Pirineos. Ahora, pues ahora es cuando echo una mirada a la música tradicional del País Vasco, a los diferentes cancioneros que recogen muchas de las melodías que aquí sonaban hace por lo menos un siglo (entonces también era ahora para ellos), e intento ver el valor que esa música tiene ahora, más allá de su interés etnográfico o histórico, de su mayor o menor antigüedad o autenticidad; hablo de su valor musical, de su capacidad de comunicar y transmitir sentimientos, de evocar situaciones. Cojo esa música y la enfrento a los instrumentos musicales que ahora mandan a ver qué pasa, y se la doy a tocar a músicos que no conocen la música tradicional vasca, y ya lanzado le presento instrumentos de otras culturas, latitudes y longitudes…
