Ancestral Spanish Sounds through a Progressive Music Lens

Tündra – Bastardüs (Nada Producciones, 2017)

Bastardüs is the second album released by Tündra, one of Spain’s most innovative contemporary folk music bands. The musicians come different backgrounds, ranging from folk music to rock and jazz and they apply these influences to their music.

On the album Bastardüs, Tündra put together a mix of rearranged traditional songs from Castile (Zamora, Salamanca, Segovia, etc.) and Austria, jazz standards transformed into progressive folk pieces, and original compositions.

The group’s fascinating sound sometimes has the feel of progressive rock performed by a world music band with traditional instruments. The musicians use various Spanish and Swedish bagpipes and flutes as well as zanfona (hurdy gurdy) and Swedish nyckelharpa combined with electric guitar and percussion.

The lineup includes Rafa Martín on zanfona and nyckelharpa; Ignacio Benito on gaita charra (Salamanca flute), gaita riojana (Rioja bagpipe), säckpipa (Swedish bagpipe), transverse flute and cane flute; Francisco González on electric guitar and mandola; and Jorge Garrido on drums and percussion.

Guests: José Maria Climent on violin and cornamuse; and José Ramón Jiménez on clarinet and soprano sax.

The album is available from bandtundra.bandcamp.com/album/bastard-s

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.
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