Nomadak Tx (World Village, 2009)
In 2006, two musicians from San Sebastian in Spain’s Basque country, Harkaitz Martínez and Igor Otxoa (who use the artistic name of Oreka TX), traveled throughout the world with the chalaparta (txalaparta in Basque), meeting musicians from various cultures and recording sessions where they combined the local voices and instruments with the chalaparta. The result of these fascinating interactions was a DVD documentary titled Nomadak TX (Nomadic Chalaparta), as well as a CD, showing the musical adventures of Oreka TX.
The documentary, directed and written by Raúl de la Fuente, shows the encounters of Harkaitz Martínez and Igor Otxoa in remote parts of the world, where they met Sami musicians in Lappland (there is a moment where the musicians try to build a chalaparta out of ice), the Saharawi people at their refugee camps in Algeria, the Adivasi in India, and the nomads in Mongolia’s steppes.
The chalaparta is an ancient Basque percussion instrument made out of two or more wooden or stone planks that are played with thick mallets. Unlike most musical instruments, the chalaparta is played by two individuals who carry out a musical dialogue. The use of the instrument nearly died in the 20th century, but it was revived by folklorists in the 1950s and it is popular with younger Basque musicians.
Nomadak TX is an extraordinary voyage of musical discovery.
Buy the CD:
- In North America: Nomadak Tx
- In Europe: Nomadak Tx
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.
