San Francisco, CA, USA. Basque Roots and Amerikanuak published a video last week with images of the “Akordeon Besta,” a tribute that N.A.B.O. organized in 1994, in San Francisco to honor various Basque accordionists in the United States. Before the tribute, honorees and organizers, along with a group of friends from all over California, Nevada, and Idaho among other places, gathered around a table at the Basque Hotel in the Broadway neighborhood.
The video includes many familiar faces from the Basque community, 25 years younger of course. Among there are Jean Flesher, nowadays an elected member representing Basque clubs in the Americas on the Lehendakari’s Advisory Board, himself a musician and accordionist and organizer of this tribute. The first Akordeon Besta paid special tribute to three unique accordionists, at the Basque Cultural Center in San Francisco: Jim Jausoro (Boise) and Bernardo Yanci (Elko), who appear and play on the video, and to Pedro-Juan Etchamendy (Chino), who appears shortly on the video, without his accordion.
February 18, 1994 at the Basque Hotel in San Francisco during this gathering of friends
1994 was the first Accordion Besta organized by N.A.B.O. around this tribute. Later there was a second in 2004 the Akordeoilarien Biltzarra and the third took place in 2014. Coming back to the honorees in first one, Jim Jausoro (1920-2004) was a Basque musician born in Idaho who from a young age became very popular playing in Idaho at Basque festivals in the North West, along, as well as with his friend and panderojole, Domingo Ansotegui, or with the Jim Jausoro Orchestra. Among other recognitions, he was also awarded the “National Heritage Award,” in 1985.
Bernardo Yanci (1926-2016) was born in Lesaka (Navarre) and emigrated to the US at a young age. Accompanied by his accordion he provided the soundtrack to a multitude of events in Elko, Nevada, and surrounding area, including at weddings, baptisms, and all kinds of festivities, and Basque gatherings. Pedro-Juan Etchamendy (1914-2002) was born in Arnegi, Behe Nafarroa, and emigrated to Southern California in 1950, with his wife and family. He already enjoyed fame as an accordionist, and song writer in the Basque Country. He also composed Bertsos. He had to give up performing and playing due to the loss of a finger that kept him away from playing.
-Basque Roots in Facebook
-Amerikanuak in Facebook
-Pierre Ygoa and Basque Roots
Send to a friend
Add comment
