Idaho Loses One of Its Great Treasures

Jim Jausoro died of pneumonia Thursday (Friday morning in the Basque Country) at 83. A native of Nampa, Idaho, and a Boise resident the most of his live, he was a musician and played accordion at Basque events for 70 years. Former Idaho Secretary of State Pete Cenarrusa called Jausoro's death "a loss that's just indescribable. Not just to the state of Idaho, but to the Basque society of the whole U.S. Basques all over the country were touched with his wonderful music."

[Jim Jausoro (right) playing together with Juan Zulaika (tambourine) and Edu Sarria (Txistu) at the Elko Basque National Festival parade (photo: Joseba Etxarri)]

Patty A. Miller/Boise (USA). Some of us dedicate our spare hours to extra-curricular projects and causes as time and family allows. Jim Jausoro dedicated his life to his music and to his culture.

What began as musical entertainment for gatherings in 1932 has lead to a lifetime of dedicated practices, performances, and service to the Basque communities in the West.

Jim passed away on December 2, 2004 surrounded by his family and in the midst of an entire community who will feel his loss for literally generations to come.

Raised in a boardinghouse owned by his parents, Tomas and Tomasa Jausoro, in Nampa, Idaho, Jims interest in music began at the age of ten when he would try using the accordions left at the hotel by borders who would be in the hills as herders for months at a time. He took lessons for six months and learned to read music. By 1932, at the age of 12, Jimmy was asked to perform Basque music in boardinghouses and at private parties. His accordion traveled with him to World War II and his service in the Navy where he learned to play other types of modern music.

In 1935, at the age of 15, Jim won an amateur contest held at the Adelaide Theatre. It was sponsored by the local newspaper, the Idaho Free Press and Lloyds Lumber Company in Nampa. The grand prize was an all-expense paid trip to Portland, OR and the opportunity to play in a national radio program over Station KWG, one of the largest in the Pacific Northwest. According to a Portland, OR newspaper clipping; Shy, small, Jimmy Jausoro, 15 year old amateur contest winner, had his big moment on the air, was interviewed and got a chance to play his accordion, an accordion almost as big as himself, and an accordion that he has worked months selling newspapers for the Boise Capital News to buy. He said he was a little scared, but he liked it.

Although Jimmys roots never moved far from the Treasure Valley, the impact of his music has extended over three continents and has touched thousands of people.

In 1947, Jim was asked to play for childrens dance practices which he continued until this past month. About that same time he and his good friend, Domingo Ansotegui, started playing for Basque dances in Boise, Shoshone, Gooding, and many other communities in Idaho as well as in Elko, Winnemucca, and Ely, Nevada. After returning from the service he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad from which he retired after 39 years. In November of 1957, he formed the Jim Jausoro Orchestra and he and his friends played both Basque and modern dance music until 2000.

In 1960, a group of young Basques from Boise who had traveled to their homeland, met dancers there who taught them dances and then encouraged them to return home and form a group using the same name. In an interview with Jim in 2000 he said, when I got started, there was no written music to follow. When the Oinkari Basque Dancers got going in 1960, theyd hum the dances to me and Id write down all of the dancers music by them humming it to me. Some of the music was written for dances choreographed for mixed participation in the 1960s and remain as trademarks of the group today.

In 1980 he began playing with the newly-formed Caldwell Basque Dancers for practices and performances. Jim played for them at a performance at Albertson College on November 10th and played his last practice for the Oinkari Basque Dancers on November 14th. His last practice for the Boiseko Gasteak Basque Dancers was Tuesday evening, November 16th.

As a Master in the Traditional Folk Arts Program for the Idaho Commission on the Arts, Jimmy taught his trademark piano accordion to four apprentices over the years. He also taught at numerous music camps established to teach Basque children about their heritage. He was an avid student, always trying to learn new music and practicing his skills on the accordion. Not focusing solely on Basque music, Jims performances have lead to cross-cultural and multi-ethnic events and members of the German, Italian, and Greek communities will remember his music at many of their activities.

Jim Jausoros performance highlights as the lead musician for the Oinkari Basque Dancers include: Seattle Worlds Fair (1962); New York Worlds Fair (1964); National Folk Festival Denver, CO (1966); Milwaukee Folk Fair (1966); Smithsonian Institute Folk Festival (1967); Montreal Expo (1970); Spokane Expo (1974); Wolf Trap Folk Festival Washington, DC (1975); Bakersfield, CA, Elko, NV, Las Vegas, NV Basque Festivals (1970s-1990s); 25th Anniversary return to the Basque Country (1985); Washington, DC 4th of July Celebrations in 1994, 1996, 2000; Folk Festival Bethal, Alaska (1997); Buenos Aires, Argentina (2002); and 33rd Anniversary return to the Basque Country (2003).

Jimmy accompanied the Oinkari Basque Dancers to Washington, DC in July, 2004 where he played at the Library of Congress and on the Millennium Stage of the Kennedy Center to crowds who gave ovation after ovation of appreciative applause.

This list does not include the some 400 weddings at which Jimmy and/or his orchestra played nor does it reflect the hundreds and hundreds of performances and practices at which Jimmy played for the dancers. It would take pages to list the many summer and winter Basque dances where he could be found playing in Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah. Jimmy and the Oinkaris also performed for numerous annual events such as Music Week, Trailing of the Sheep, veterans reunions, government and private conferences, and for tour groups.

Jim Jausoros Awards Include:
- Euzkaldunak, Inc. Award for Appreciation of 25 years of Devotion to Children (1972)
- North American Basque Organizations Award for Basque of the Year (1975)
- Idaho State Folk Arts Award, Hailey, Idaho, by Gov. John V. Evans (1983)
- National Heritage Award from the National Endowment on the Arts (1985)
- Winnemucca Basque Organization Musician of the Year Award (1986)
- Mayors Award for Excellence in the Arts (1988) Society of Basque Studies in America Hall of Fame Award (1994)
- North American Basque Organizations Award for his Contribution to Basque Music (1994)
- Governors Award for the Arts for Lifetime Achievement (2000)

Jim was a gentle man, a humble man, a family man of the highest character, a musician, a sports fan, and the most-dedicated contributor to Basque culture that anyone would be able to describe. When asked in a 2000 interviewwhy have you done this for so long, he responded, I want to keep the accordion alive and I continue to play for the dancers because I love it. Our performances have taken us all over the country, including Alaska, and over to Europe. I enjoy being with people and playing music and will continue to do so as long as I can.

Jim Jausoro is survived by his wife, Isabel, of 51 years. His daughters Marie Day (Bryan), and Anita Jausoro and his granddaughter, Danielle Day. He is also survived by his brother, Louie Jausoro, his sisters-in-law, Mary Larrondo, Anna Montgomery and Lydia Jausoro, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Idaho has lost an ambassador and the Basque community has lost one of its cornerstones. Jim Jausoro will live on in the hearts of literally hundreds of young people who have danced to his music or learned from him and to the influence he has left in Idaho and the many places hes traveled. His legacy is here, but he will never be able to be replaced.

Services for Jim Jausoro
A vigil service will be held at St. Marks Catholic Church in Boise, Idaho at 7:00 p.m. on 12/06/04. (Monday) Funeral services will be held at St. Marks Catholic Church in Boise, Idaho at 10:00 a.m. on 12/07/04. (Tuesday)

(Written by Patty A. Miller, Executive Director, Basque Museum & Cultural Center of Boise, ID, and edited by Isabel Jausoro 12/3/04)

Related links

Jim 'Jimmy' Jausoro
At oinkari.org

euskalkultura.eus

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