An eclectic blend of rhythm, tone and color from Basque country and beyond, the music of Kepa Junkera resonates across borders with the enthusiasm and intensity of an artist who truly loves what he does. One of the world's most prolific Basque musicians, Kepa's music opens doors, both musical and personal, filling audiences with the energy and vitality he emanates at each and every performance.
A self-taught accordionist and composer born in 1965 in Bilbao, Spain, Kepa spent his childhood in the district of Rekalde. His first contact with music came through his Aitite (maternal grandfather) who, tambourine in hand, accompanied Kepa's mother as she danced the traditional Basque Txilibrin. Kepa began his career playing Basque trikitixa (two-row diatonic button accordion), and continues to expand his repertoire by mixing musical styles through improvisation and original composition, all deeply rooted in the Basque tradition. As a collaborator, Kepa has recorded with many of the world's finest musicians, including: La Bottine Souriante, Liam O'Flynn, Béla Fleck, Carlos Nuñez, Caetano Veloso, and Pat Metheny among others.
In tune with his passion for carrying on Basque traditions is Kepa's success in producing new music with ancient Basque instruments, including Quercus Endorphina (2001) for Oreka TX, featuring the txalaparta (an ancestral xylophone), Airea (2004) for Ibon Koteron featuring the alboka (Basque horn), and Txistulari Lasaia (2009) for Garikoitz Mendizabal, featuring the txistu (traditional flute). Kepa Junkera's work also extends to the next generation of traditional musicians; he teaches at Musikene, the Higher School of Music of the Basque Country, and serves as Artistic Director of The Basque Txalaparta Company. As he performs across the globe, from New York to Paris, Buenos Aires to Hong Kong, Kepa Junkera beguiles audiences with his distinctive blend of tradition and innovation–shaping notes, rhythms and melodies into a new sound audiences will want to discover again and again.
