Amuma Says No will perform a special Album Release Party concert at The Record Exchange (1105 W. Idaho St., Downtown Boise) at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23. As always, this Record Exchange in-store performance is free and all ages. Amuma Says No’s new album “Gatz and Berakatz” will be available for purchase at the event!

ABOUT AMUMA SAYS NO AND ‘GATZ AND BERAKATZ’

Amuma Says No represents the heart and soul of Basque music in America today. The band brings together the best of traditional trikitixa–a duo of accordion and tambourine–with a modern rhythm section and songs sung in euskara. Based in Boise, home of one the largest communities of Basques outside their home provinces along the French and Spanish Pyrenees, Amuma Says No’s sound is energetic, contemporary and unique, like the Basques.

Jill Aldape, Dan Ansotegui, Sean Uranga Aucutt and Spencer Basterrechea Martin (Now the Director of Athletic Bands at the University of Idaho), the founders, are second and third generation Amerikanuak. They grew up dancing with the Oinkari Basque Dancers and listening to Basque artists like Jimmy Jausoro and Domingo Ansotegui. Joined by Rod Wray, Micah Deffries and David Gluck, Amuma Says Noc arries on this timeless traditional repertory by presenting it with a touch of twenty-first century rock, pop and jazz.

Jaialdi, the international Basque festival held in Boise every five years being this year, inspired Amuma Says No to release their third album, “Gatz and Berakatz.” With the help of Steve Fulton at Audio Lab, Amuma Says No started recording in the spring of 2015. This recording is a little different from the previous two, which were primarily dance songs. With the addition of acoustic guitar, organ, violin and even the traditional Basque txalaparta, “Gatz and Berakatz” captures some of the subtle elements of the ensemble.

Amuma (for whom the band is named) used to describe people or events or food that lacked spark or personality with the expression “ez gatz ez berakatz.” It literally means no salt nor garlic and other similar idioms might include vim and vigor or blood in the veins. Her eyes would twinkle when she saw, heard or talked about something or someone that had moxie … especially if it raised a few eyebrows; it made life more interesting. In this album, Amuma Says No hopes to bring vitality, enthusiasm, strength risk, and the flavor of gatz and berakatz through music.

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