Galiza was born from Kepa Junkera’s fascination with Galician music, an interest that dates back more than twenty years, when he first discovered Milladoiro during tours with Oskorri across Galicia and the Basque Country. That encounter with Galician melodies marked the beginning of a long artistic approach that culminates in this double CD featuring thirty-four compositions combining tradition and reinterpretation. The project becomes a true “who’s who” of Galician folk music, bringing together both established references such as Budiño, Luar Na Lubre, Uxía, Cristina Pato, Os Cempés and Susana Seivane, alongside emerging yet already consolidated artists: Banda das Crechas, Davide Salvado, Radio Cos, Treixadura, Xabier Díaz & Adufeiras de Salitre, the students of aCentral Folque and SonDeSeu. In total, more than 200 musicians participate in this journey through roots music.

Producer and historian Ramon Pinheiro Almuinha recalls that the first complete method for Galician bagpipes, published in 1964, was written by Rodrigo Alfredo de Santiago, originally from Barakaldo. This historical connection is reflected in the recording of “O galo”, which featured the participation of the group Ceo do Sil and the choir O Noso Lar from the Galician Centre of Barakaldo, coordinated by bagpiper Alberte Sanmartín. The piece was recorded in the Centre’s assembly hall using high-quality recording equipment to capture the feeling of playing and singing together as if inside a tavern, recreating the atmosphere experienced by Galician emigrants and their descendants.

The digibook is accompanied by striking graphic design by Unai Molina, known for his work with El Europeo and projects such as Bilbao 00:00h. The collaboration between Kepa and Molina was flexible and creative: Kepa proposed the idea of visually expressing the fusion between Euskadi and Galicia, and the work developed song by song until achieving a colourful and dynamic album. Additional contributions came from Rober Garay, Alberto Palomera and Galician artist Pablo Pastor, integrated alongside Jon Artetxe’s collages and illustrations, resulting in a visually energetic and compelling book, exactly as Kepa had envisioned it.

Musically, the album opens with “Alalá transfigurado”, a traditional piece revitalised by Cristina Pato, combined with powerful irrintzis and the enveloping txalapartas of Iñigo Olazabal and Argibel Euba. The brevity and freshness of “Muiñeira dos Pontinos” contrasts with the experience of Emilio do Pando (81 years old) and Daniel do Pando, who perform on jew’s harp. The closing piece is provided by Manuel Pazos de Merexo, a diatonic accordionist from Costa da Morte nearing ninety years of age, who contributes one of his own waltzes, concluding an album Kepa defines as “timeless, a way of feeling what is created here, and a tribute to musicians and traditions that I respect and admire.”

Record label: Infernuko Auspoa & FOL & BOA. Production: Kepa Junkera.