The music of the Ryukyu Islands and the Basque Country may have little in common at first glance but the themes and concerns of the people who produce it have many similarities. Not least are an independent spirit and pride in local traditions, music and culture. They have also the shared, sometimes uncomfortable, experience of being smaller groups subsumed within much larger nations. The Basques also have a language of their own which is apparently unrelated to any other and is thought to be the oldest in Europe.

For almost twenty years I have been fascinated by the music of this land known to its people as Euskal Herria and located in northern Spain and south-western France. This interest began when I requested an album for review from Anjel Valdes the record producer and coordinator for Elkar Records which is the leading company for Basque music. Since that time Anjel…