Kepa Junkera reappears in Bilbao: «Before I spoke little and now I am not understood, how curious life is»
The musician reappears in public for the first time since he suffered a stroke in 2018 in the presentation of the documentary ‘Berpiztu’ at the BBK hall in Bilbao
Kepa Junkera must have dreamed many times of the moment he experienced this Thursday afternoon in Bilbao. The welcome that his city offered him, in his first public appearance since the stroke he suffered in December 2018, turned out just as he wanted: emotional and luminous, with his music as the common thread, More than 120 of his songs are played in ‘Berpiztu ‘ (‘Renacer’), the documentary by Fermín Aio that was screened at Sala BBK in a private screening for 500 guests. On December 2, it opens in theaters and the book that illustrates his career will be released, and that he will be one of the protagonists of the Azoka.
The director came out on stage to speak on behalf of the musician, who still has trouble pronouncing the words that bubble in his head. That’s how he tells it. «Before I spoke little and now I am not understood, how curious life is». The message was brief and with a sense of humor. He thanked all the attendees and the documentary team. “Green tomatoes for them,” he joked. He asked for a special applause for her ex-wife, Miren Goikouria, who was the one who called Fermín Aio in the summer of 2001. «Luckily my children look like her. As an errekaldetarra, Bilbao, Basque and citizen of the world, it is an honor to be here».
He seemed calm, at all times very aware of his mistress, Concha, who had a harder time containing her emotions. He wore a shirt designed by the artists who have used in the book and an Athletic mask. None other than Dani, Goikotxea and Zubizarreta attended the event together with authorities, musicians and other artists eager to support him. Among others Ane and Olatz de Sorgiñak, Motriku, with whom he shared his beginnings, Joseba Tapia, also a pioneer of the trikitixa, La Otxoa, the artists Rober Garay, Alberto Palomera and Jose Ibarrola and the photographer Santiago Yaniz.
It was time to send him all the affection expressed in thousands of messages and calls to inquire about his condition. The guests began arriving to the sound of the txalaparta, the alboka and the tambourine, while many citizens milled around the entrance to the room. There was a broad institutional representation led by the Lehendakari, Iñigo Urkullu, the Mayor, Juan Mari Aburto, and the President of the General Assemblies, Ana Otadui. The councilors Bingen Zupiria, Arantxa Tapia, Olatz Garamendi and Gotzone Sagardui and councilors such as Gonzalo Olabarria, Yolanda Díez and Jone Goiricelaya attended. The leaders of the PNV and the nationalist left, Andoni Ortuzar and Arnaldo Otegi, respectively, also joined in the tribute.
An essential name on the guest list was Dulce Pontes. The Portuguese singer-songwriter hadn’t seen her “huge friend of hers” since her stroke. In the morning they met again in the Casco Viejo and he asked her to sing, but not the ‘Maitia nun zira’ that they performed together, but a song in Portuguese that she dedicated to Kepa’s mother. She sang it very close to her, sitting in the second row. It was one of the most exciting moments of an evening that began and ended the same way: with all the attendees standing up and a long standing ovation.
a huge legacy
‘Berpiztu’ shows the enormous musical legacy of Kepa Junkera and his effort to recover his speech and mobility. Everything on the same plane, because she is the same person. We see his accordion collection and the Grammy for best folk album that he won with ‘K’ (2003) in his farmhouse in Busturia, where he spends the summer and plays cards with his three children. «He has the moments of him, but he laughs more. He shows that he is happier », says Sunne, who yesterday pushed the wheelchair when he arrived at the room.
Kepa’s mother remembers how it all started, showing black and white photos of a young boy glued to an accordion. She grew up “in a very cheerful house” and that gives her character. When she told him that he wanted to be a musician and had chosen the trikitixa, “which then only my father and three others played”, she had no idea how far she could go. More than with the figures of his career, which began in 1987 and has thirty albums, the documentary illustrates his scope with testimonies. Ana Belén, Estrella Morente and Aute singing in Basque, his performance with Ara Malikian at La Alhóndiga, his ability to fuse styles and project the roots of Basque music throughout the world. While he was composing the anthem for Marijaia, he was preparing the first trikitixa concert with a symphony orchestra, under the direction of Juanjo Mena.
‘Berpiztu’ allows us to get to know a “whirlwind” better, both in music and in life. The specialists who treat him at the Aita Menni center talk about how he is reaching “small milestones. Stand upright in a chair, stand up…». Yesterday he took another important step. In the middle of the final applause, which appeared for about five minutes, Kepa looked once more at his mistress before his children and his sister ran to hug him. “Thank you, thank you all very much,” she said goodbye on her behalf, Doña Concha.