Azkenean! by Amerikanuak

Description

Song List

1. Andre Madalen
2. Nevadarat Joan Nintzan
3. España Cañi
4. Jostari Buru
5. Garaziko Dantzak
6. Xalbadorren Heriotzean
7. Xarmegarria Zira
8. Hey Baby, Que Paso
9. Lantzeko Ihotiak
10. Besame Mucho
11. Kinkiri Kunkuru
12. Behin Batean Loiolan
13. Beer Barrel Polka
14. Cuban Pete
15. Urte Batez
16. Basco Eyes
17. Fiestas de San Fermin
18. Zazpi Jauziak
19. Recuerdo du Pays Basque
20. Agur Jaunak

History of Amerikanuak

Although each of the members of the band are musicians in their own right, the basis for this group of friends getting together to play music and help maintain the Basque culture in the United States began back in 1989. The Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco, California decided to present a traditional Basque musical play called a “Pastorala” and enlisted the services of Roger Idiart, a well-known playwright and composer in the Basque Country, to write it. The theme was “Nevadarat Joan Nintzan.”

These “Pastorales” traditionally had bands that played along with the actors in the play and who provided musical interludes between the scenes. Jean Flesher volunteered to put a band together for this play and enlisted the services of Christian Iribarren on Clarinet and Rene Caballero on bass drum, among others, to provide this music for the show.

Out of this group the Jean Flesher Band was born with Christian playing the keyboards and xirula and Rene playing drums. Jean, soon after, sought out Pierre Igoa in Bakersfield to play the trumpet. Christian Iribarren’s brother Daniel also began to play the bass along with the band. This was the original make-up of the Jean Flesher Orchestra and were it not for the incredible talents of Pierre, Christian, Daniel and Rene, the band would never have taken off as they all lived in different areas of California and there was no way to hold rehearsals.

As the members of the band got older and they began to have families, not everyone was able to make it to every gig and sometimes a larger orchestra was warranted. Jean’s good friend Jean-Pierre Etchechury began to play drums for the gigs that Rene couldn’t make and sometimes Jean-Pierre and Rene even played together, with Rene playing the congas.

Jean was fortunate to have been involved in a project recording Basque songs with a very talented musician, John Ehlis, who at that time hailed from Southern California. John soon began to share his amazing talents with the band on several stringed instruments including mandolin and jazz guitar at various larger gigs such as weddings and festivals. Jean was also lucky enough to entice Michelle Iturriria to join the band.

The last member to join the orchestra was Jean’s son, Jean-Jules, who literally grew up with Basque music at the feet of his father and who plays percussion and sings with the band as well. In light of all of the immense talent that makes up the band, Jean decided that it was no longer right to just call the band the Jean Flesher Orchestra, so some of the members got together and decided that “Amerikanuak” or “The Americans” would be a great name for the band.

They decided they should record some songs for posterity to celebrate the almost 30 years that some of the members have been playing together. These songs are typical of the songs that our parents and grandparents knew in the Basque Country before they emigrated to the US, in addition to some songs that were very popular in the US when they arrived. These are all songs that we grew up with or have come to love in recent years. Amerikanuak hopes that you will enjoy these recordings.