singing in St Jean de Luz

Tonight St Jean de Luz accepted me into the throng of one of their Basque choirs. It is a little like those all male Russian choirs mixed with a barbershop group; four tenor 1's, four tenor 2's and 4 baritones. After a couple of hours singing in Basque, remembering how to read music and taking instruction in French I was exhausted! Thankfully one of the baritones is a famous baker in these parts and came prepared with a large box of cakes.

We practice in a small room nestled in the port at Ciboure with fishing nets hanging on the walls and the smell of the sea filling the room, together with the heavy aroma of our choir mistresses old-school cigarettes. She plays accordion and smokes throughout, keeping us all in time and beckoning us on. One of the tenor 1's accompanies her on guitar, it is a fabulous musical experience and to be taken in by the group has truly made me feel like I have been accepted by the locals. I also recognised one of the choir as one of the pompiers my wife enjoys watching running in the mornings, think I'll keep that to myself.

Basque of the day:- choir :: abesbatza