Itoiz was the name of a Basque music band from the coastal towns of Mutriku and Ondarroa, started off in 1978 and disbanded in 1988. Born in times of turmoil for the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain), Itoiz stems from a dancing music band (i.e. playing other groups' songs) called Indar Trabes (1974), which performed mainly in evening festivities of towns. Throughout their existence spanning ten years, Itoiz dealt with several styles ranging from folk to progressive rock to pop.
In 1978, the members of the band Indar Trabes elaborated an LP album due for release in the Durango Basque Book and Music Fair; it included songs composed largely by the frontman Juan Carlos Pérez. They decided to rebrand the group on the grounds that the previous name was associated to evening dancing performances. They chose Itoiz (not because of the famous valley of the same name in Navarre).[1]
Evolutionedit
Their first album featured intimate and whimsical lyrics, wrapped up in progressive rock music. During the next three years they went through various reshuffles in the line-up, and the music grew more complex and elaborated, but the symphonic sound remained until their third album Alkolea.
In 1983 they launched the successful album Musikaz blai, which gave up previous progressive and jazzy music patterns, switching to pop-rock along the lines of prevailing music trends. Juan Carlos Pérez explained, "We used a progressive rock rhythmic pattern to fashion songs, while [guitar player] Jean-Marie Ecay brought in a new one, the one we called 'Fleetwood Mac rhythm', a binary rhythmic pattern we didn't know before. He brought along the song concept too, of a three-minute duration and a chorus. Up to that point, we made small conceptual pieces, songs with a long development."[2]
The LP album Espaloian was released next in 1985 to critical and public acclaim, featuring such hits as "Clash eta Pistols", "Espaloian" and "Hegal egiten". Unexpectedly for frontman Pérez, this more natural album earned them numerous concerts and record turnouts. Despite the band's relatively high popularity, they came in for bitter criticism and had to put up with hostile attitudes on the part of other bands on the rise in the Basque Country in the middle 80s as well as their public.
These bands stood for the punk and rebellious music movement gaining momentum at the time (Kortatu, Hertzainak, etc.) with which they often had to share the bill. "For the bands of the RRV [Basque rebellious rock], we represented the establishment's demands, commercialism, we were politically correct. The situation was really difficult. We had to face up to the people's attacks."[3] Another LP followed, Ambulance (1987),[4] but by that year Jean-Marie Ecay had quit the group (1984) and went onto another bigger Spanish band.
Last years and break-upedit
Juan Carlos Pérez was alone in charge of the whole artistic production and friction among members of the band started to mount. As Pérez was tired of the situation within the band, he finally decided to break it up with a last live album, Eremuko dunen atzetik dabil (1988)
Line-upedit
The original line-up inherited from the band Indar Trabes went through various changes, and parentheses took place too (e. g., when prior to the release of Ezekiel, some members joined the band and some others quit). Accordingly, the band's music expertise and exigence in performance improved gradually. Some members worth highlighting:
Juan Carlos Pérez: Guitar and voice
Foisis (José Gárate): Bass guitar
José A. Fernández: Piano and keyboards (until 1985)
Estanis Osinalde: Drums (until 1979)
Joseba Erkiaga: Flute (until 1982)
Germán Ors: Guitar (1981–1983)
Jimmi Arrabit: Drums (as of 1982)
Jean-Marie Ecay: Guitar (1983–1985)
Xabi Pery: Guitar (1987–1988)
Discographyedit
Itoiz (1978): Contains some tracks that have struck a chord in Basque music, such as romantic "Lau teilatu" (four roofs), elected by popular vote in the 2000s best Basque song ever; poignant "Hilzori I" and "Hilzori II", poetic "Astelehen urdin batean"; etc.
Ezekiel (1980): A totally conceptual work developed around the axis of prophet Ezekiel; allegoric, almost religious, featuring a chilling children chorus line.
Alkolea (1982): The sound remains signature Itoiz sound. Song "Marilyn: sagardotegia eta jazzmana" is its catchiest attraction.
Musikaz blai (1983): A full-fledged pop album with elaborate, landmark tracks like "As noites da Radio Lisboa" or "To Alice", alongside catchy "Marea gora".
Espaloian (1985): Confirms Itoiz's know-how and craft with such abiding songs as "Hegal egiten", "Clash eta Pistols", etc.
Ambulance (1987): Rockier sound, dirtier; "Ambulance" or "Non nagoen" should be highlighted.
...eremuko dunen atzetik dabil (1988). Final live album.
Itoiz 1978-1988 (2000). A compilation comprising all the albums in Itoiz's history, as well as a booklet describing the band's history.
Referencesedit
^Eskisabel, Jon (2005). ITOIZ, Hari xingle bat. Soraluze: Gaztelupeko Hotsak. p. 51. ISBN84-933423-8-6.
^Eskisabel, Jon (2005). ITOIZ, Hari xingle bat. Soraluze: Gaztelupeko Hotsak. p. 138. ISBN84-933423-8-6.
^Eskisabel, Jon (2005). ITOIZ, Hari xingle bat. Soraluze: Gaztelupeko Hotsak. p. 156. ISBN84-933423-8-6.
^"Review on Ambulance in Elkar's website". Elkar. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
External linksedit
Official website (in Basque)
Review on Itoiz from a progressive rock standpoint
Review on Basque progressive music
Website in Basque
Footage taken from a gig (early 80s)
Itoiz's video clip out of pop hit song Hegal Egiten
Song Ezekielen Prophezia in a gig
December 18, 2023
itoiz, name, basque, music, band, from, coastal, towns, mutriku, ondarroa, started, 1978, disbanded, 1988, born, times, turmoil, basque, autonomous, community, spain, stems, from, dancing, music, band, playing, other, groups, songs, called, indar, trabes, 1974. Itoiz was the name of a Basque music band from the coastal towns of Mutriku and Ondarroa started off in 1978 and disbanded in 1988 Born in times of turmoil for the Basque Autonomous Community Spain Itoiz stems from a dancing music band i e playing other groups songs called Indar Trabes 1974 which performed mainly in evening festivities of towns Throughout their existence spanning ten years Itoiz dealt with several styles ranging from folk to progressive rock to pop ItoizOriginMutriku Ondarroa Basque Autonomous Community SpainGenresProgressive rock pop rockYears active1978 1988Past membersJuan Carlos PerezFoisis Jose Garate Jose A FernandezEstanis OsinaldeJoseba ErkiagaGerman OrsJimmi ArrabitJean Marie EcayXabi PeryContents 1 History 1 1 Establishment 1 2 Evolution 1 3 Last years and break up 2 Line up 3 Discography 4 References 5 External linksHistory editEstablishment edit In 1978 the members of the band Indar Trabes elaborated an LP album due for release in the Durango Basque Book and Music Fair it included songs composed largely by the frontman Juan Carlos Perez They decided to rebrand the group on the grounds that the previous name was associated to evening dancing performances They chose Itoiz not because of the famous valley of the same name in Navarre 1 Evolution edit Their first album featured intimate and whimsical lyrics wrapped up in progressive rock music During the next three years they went through various reshuffles in the line up and the music grew more complex and elaborated but the symphonic sound remained until their third album Alkolea In 1983 they launched the successful album Musikaz blai which gave up previous progressive and jazzy music patterns switching to pop rock along the lines of prevailing music trends Juan Carlos Perez explained We used a progressive rock rhythmic pattern to fashion songs while guitar player Jean Marie Ecay brought in a new one the one we called Fleetwood Mac rhythm a binary rhythmic pattern we didn t know before He brought along the song concept too of a three minute duration and a chorus Up to that point we made small conceptual pieces songs with a long development 2 The LP album Espaloian was released next in 1985 to critical and public acclaim featuring such hits as Clash eta Pistols Espaloian and Hegal egiten Unexpectedly for frontman Perez this more natural album earned them numerous concerts and record turnouts Despite the band s relatively high popularity they came in for bitter criticism and had to put up with hostile attitudes on the part of other bands on the rise in the Basque Country in the middle 80s as well as their public These bands stood for the punk and rebellious music movement gaining momentum at the time Kortatu Hertzainak etc with which they often had to share the bill For the bands of the RRV Basque rebellious rock we represented the establishment s demands commercialism we were politically correct The situation was really difficult We had to face up to the people s attacks 3 Another LP followed Ambulance 1987 4 but by that year Jean Marie Ecay had quit the group 1984 and went onto another bigger Spanish band Last years and break up edit Juan Carlos Perez was alone in charge of the whole artistic production and friction among members of the band started to mount As Perez was tired of the situation within the band he finally decided to break it up with a last live album Eremuko dunen atzetik dabil 1988 Line up editThe original line up inherited from the band Indar Trabes went through various changes and parentheses took place too e g when prior to the release of Ezekiel some members joined the band and some others quit Accordingly the band s music expertise and exigence in performance improved gradually Some members worth highlighting Juan Carlos Perez Guitar and voice Foisis Jose Garate Bass guitar Jose A Fernandez Piano and keyboards until 1985 Estanis Osinalde Drums until 1979 Joseba Erkiaga Flute until 1982 German Ors Guitar 1981 1983 Jimmi Arrabit Drums as of 1982 Jean Marie Ecay Guitar 1983 1985 Xabi Pery Guitar 1987 1988 Discography editItoiz 1978 Contains some tracks that have struck a chord in Basque music such as romantic Lau teilatu four roofs elected by popular vote in the 2000s best Basque song ever poignant Hilzori I and Hilzori II poetic Astelehen urdin batean etc Ezekiel 1980 A totally conceptual work developed around the axis of prophet Ezekiel allegoric almost religious featuring a chilling children chorus line Alkolea 1982 The sound remains signature Itoiz sound Song Marilyn sagardotegia eta jazzmana is its catchiest attraction Musikaz blai 1983 A full fledged pop album with elaborate landmark tracks like As noites da Radio Lisboa or To Alice alongside catchy Marea gora Espaloian 1985 Confirms Itoiz s know how and craft with such abiding songs as Hegal egiten Clash eta Pistols etc Ambulance 1987 Rockier sound dirtier Ambulance or Non nagoen should be highlighted eremuko dunen atzetik dabil 1988 Final live album Itoiz 1978 1988 2000 A compilation comprising all the albums in Itoiz s history as well as a booklet describing the band s history References edit Eskisabel Jon 2005 ITOIZ Hari xingle bat Soraluze Gaztelupeko Hotsak p 51 ISBN 84 933423 8 6 Eskisabel Jon 2005 ITOIZ Hari xingle bat Soraluze Gaztelupeko Hotsak p 138 ISBN 84 933423 8 6 Eskisabel Jon 2005 ITOIZ Hari xingle bat Soraluze Gaztelupeko Hotsak p 156 ISBN 84 933423 8 6 Review on Ambulance in Elkar s website Elkar Retrieved 2008 03 21 External links editOfficial website in Basque Review on Itoiz from a progressive rock standpoint Review on Basque progressive music Website dedicated to Itoiz Website in Basque Footage taken from a gig early 80s Itoiz s video clip out of pop hit song Hegal Egiten Song Ezekielen Prophezia in a gig Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Itoiz amp oldid 1141972820, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
