Tündra is a contemporary folk music band from Logroño in La Rioja, Spain’s famed wine region. The group was known until recently as an instrumental ensemble that combines tradition and modernity, using hurdy-gurdies, bagpipes and other traditional instruments with electric guitar and a wide range of percussion. Their style has been described as progressive folk.
The new recording is dedicated to the rural regions of Spain that are becoming depopulated, as people move to large metropolitan areas like Madrid and its suburbs, Valencia, Barcelona, and provincial capitals.
The current lineup includes Ignacio Benito Martínez on gaita riojana, cornamuse, gaita charra, flute and drum, alboka, albogue, and flauta de caña (cane flute); Jorge Garrido Díez on drums and percussion; Francisco González Saenz de Tejada on electric guitar, mandola, and samplers; Rafael Martín Pérez on hurdy-gurdy and nyckelharpa; and Rubén Ezquerro Justicia on vocals and percussion.
We talked to Tündra and discovered that they have just released a new album.
How and when was Tündra formed?
In 2009, more or less, Jorge, the drummer, met with luthier Daniel Latorre in his workshop and they began to play together, with a tambourine and a hurdy-gurdy. Already then, it sounded interesting, so they began to think about creating a group with more people, and in the following weeks Ignacio joined on winds and Paco on guitar. At first, we rehearsed in a park, and we started preparing songs like crazy because a concert came up and we needed to fill an hour of repertoire.
What are the fundamental elements of Tündra’s musical style?
We try to do what we would like to hear, and above all not to use traditional material that has been widely used by many other groups. We seek to develop the sound that emerged from day one almost without realizing it, a kind of sonic atmosphere with which we dress each song. We like it when after a concert someone tells us that they have gone into a trance with a song; that means that we have achieved what we are looking for.
How has the musical expression of the group evolved over the years?
More and more, we have a clear picture of our sound and we are maturing it; as if it evolved by itself. Each concert is better than the previous one, and the repertoire that we play now is better crafted from beginning to end. Now, with a singer, everything is new; we feel complete.
Tündra has two albums, Folk Ancestro Sideral (2013) and Bastardus (2017). What are the differences between the two albums?
The first one is more raw and simpler; we did it a bit against the clock. In the second one, Rafa Martín joined us and played the hurdy-gurdy and the nyckelharpa and we worked on it much more, the arrangements were more complex and we had better quality instruments, etc. Now, for the third album we called a producer, Héctor Tellini, who was bassist for Zoobazar. He helped us a lot to polish the songs and to work with a singer, which is new to us.
It’s been three years since Bastardus. When is the next album coming out?
The album just came out, on November 22nd. It is titled “Voces del desarraigo: Músicas de la España vaciada” (voices of uprooting, musics from emptied Spain), a monograph about music from the Celtiberian Mountains. We have delved into songbooks from that area and selected melodies and lyrics with which we felt identified with.
I have seen that the group plans to include a singer in the next album. Why did you decide to add a singer? One of the most important characteristics of Tündra up to now has been its instrumental sound. Will there be fewer instrumental segments?
The decision was not easy, it was a very big challenge. We were motivated by the idea of making songs, with their verses, choruses and riffs. We have come out of our comfort zone and we are very happy with the result. The lyrics are old and very suggestive, there is everything; a work song, a lullaby, a lament of souls, a Christmas carol, etc. The voice appears in half of the songs on the album, and the singer plays percussion live when he is not singing. We continue with the same old essence in terms of instrumental parts.
The group uses a very interesting combination of hurdy-gurdy, bagpipes, electric guitar and percussion. How did the idea of combining these instruments come about?
The group arose from a hurdy-gurdy and a tambourine, the following was three-hole bagpipes and electric guitar with effects. Little by little we introduced various bagpipes (riojana, Swedish and cornamuse), bass psaltery and nyckelharpa. As we introduce an instrument during a season we may stop using it, depending on the repertoire. Lately, we have introduced alboka (animal horn wind instrument) and albogue (another form of animal horn).
Tündra’s style can be described as progressive folk. In Spain there was a very interesting movement in the 1970s called rock with roots in which progressive rock was fused with flamenco, Celtic, Cantabrian, Basque music, etc. Now most groups imitate English-language pop, hip hop and rock. Why do you think that in Spain there is no more interest in its roots music? Do you know other groups that are doing folk fusions like Tündra?
We think that in Spain it is necessary to renew a lot; we do not like what is done [musically] in general, with few exceptions such as Maüt or Xarnege (although the latter are half French and half Basque). Sometimes we are not programmed in Folk or Roots Music festivals because we are too rockers and vice versa. At an event in our hometown where we wanted to play at, they told us: “If we take you they will kick you out of town”, that is the reality, and we are quite fed up, really.
In Spain there are many types of bagpipes. Where do the bagpipes used by Tündra come from?
We use the Riojana bagpipe, the Swedish bagpipe or säckpipa, the cornamuse (from central France) and the charra bagpipe (three-hole flute), one of the most representative traditional instruments of Salamanca (western Spain)
Who makes the group’s bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies?
They are built by different luthiers. The Riojan bagpipe was built by Fernando Jalón from La Rioja, the Swedish bagpipe and the charra bagpipe by Madrid instrument maker Miguel Ángel Casado, the cornamuse by Daniel López from Cantabria (northern Spain), and the hurdy-gurdy by Frenchman Denis Siorat.
What other traditional instruments does Tündra use?
Psaltery, nyckelharpa, alboka, albogue, mandol, castanets and square frame drum.
The group is based in Logroño, in La Rioja. How is the traditional and innovative music scene in the region?
There really isn’t a scene like with rock, we are like aliens. It is worth highlighting the work of the Espiral Folk association, which has organized the “Alberite Folk” festival for many years. Javier Asensio and Helena Ortiz have also published very interesting books together with the publishing house “Piedra de Rayo”.
Does Tündra do any kind of outreach to schools or give workshops to children and young musicians?
Not as a group, but on an individual level, the pedagogical work of Rafa Martín (hurdy-gurdy and nyckelharpa) should be highlighted; he has been teaching classes at the Escuela de Músicas Populares de Entresierras (Entresierras Traditional Music School) in La Cabrera, Madrid for many years.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected Tündra and its members in terms of work and livelihood?
We have had a sudden halt of concerts, but we managed to record the third album in August, which has been an odyssey. In terms of income, it is all over the place, those who are teachers have remained employed and those who work on whatever comes up have been greatly affected. It is important to note that with such a group, you don’t earn money, sometimes you lose.
What have the musicians been doing during the lockdown?
Everything that can be done at home, such as practicing with the instrument, researching songbooks, composing, watching movies, etc. Drinking a lot of wine and we even made a remote music video.
If Tündra could invite musicians or groups to collaborate, who would you like to work with?
Well, from Silvia Pérez Cruz to Hedningarna, as well as Neonymus or Tarna. We are very eclectic in reality, what someone is passionate about, another member may not say anything about it.
What are Tündra’s next projects?
In December we will record a music video in a studio to promote the new album. We have also been called by the Festival Actual [emerging artists festival in Logroño] to record three songs live on video that will later be screened within the festival. And during Christmas we will take the opportunity to rehearse and be ready when concerts come back.
More about Tündra.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.