XABIER DÍAZ
It’s been 30 years since Xabier first blew into a bagpipe until Coplas para Icía (2007).
His curiosity enabled new experiences with pop(ular) music always on the horizon:
Xacarandaina, Rumbadeira, his first field researches, a constant teaching activity,
associations, contests, festivals, etc.
He became a part of Nova Galega de Danza performing in the shows «Alento»,
«Engado» and «Tradición» between 2005 and 2009.
On early 2008 Berrogüetto knocked on Xabier's door and the trip lasted till 2014,
when the band announced its dissolution. During that time they released the albums
Kosmogonías (2010) and O pulso da terra (2011). Consequently, they were awarded by
the Music Academy with «Best Song in Galician Language» (2011) and «Best Folk
Music Band» in the first edition of Martin Codax Galician Music Awards (2013), as well
as Best Soundtrack Mestre Mateo Award for the film Inevitable (2014).
Along with great music partners and friends such as Guadi Galego, Guillermo
Fernández and Xosé Lois Romero took part in the «aCadaCanto project», and released
the albums aCadaCanto (2012) and A Rosa D'Adina (2014).
He collaborated in many albums and concerts with different artists through the years:
Carmen París, Xosé Manuel Budiño, Kepa Junquera, Guadi Galego and Os Cempés,
among others.
Moreover, he took his music to many places such as Mexico, Zimbabwe, Germany,
Uruguay, Italy, Peru, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Argentina, Norway, Belgium, Cuba,
Scotland, Ireland, etc.
In 2015 he released the album The Tambourine man with Adufeiras de Salitre. This
album was awarded for Best Album in Galician Language at the Independent Music
Awards (2016), Best Album of Traditional Music at the Martin Codax Galician Music
Awards (2016), Best Song in Galician Language at the first edition of aRitmar Awards.
Furthermore, The Tambourine man has remained at the top ten of the World Music
Charts Europe during February and March 2016.
Since the release of The Tambourine Man and after more than 70 live shows in barely
two years, he visited Algeria, Oslo, Lorient, Le Chatre, Glasgow, Lisbon, Madrid and
Brussels.
His second album with Adufeiras de Salitre «Noró (Algunhas músicas do norte)»
Músicas de Salitre 2018 ©, highlighted the music from the Peninsular Northwest. Now
comes the third album as a result of that collaboration.
THE SILENCED CATHEDRALS
As Catedrais Silenciadas (The Silenced Cathedrals) is the third album of Xabier Díaz
with Adufeiras de Salitre, surely the work that best reflects the essence of their
encounter and probably the one that explores the limits of this format more deeply. It
arrives after an extensive tour across more than 13 countries and 200 concerts.
The title is a warning call for the progressive rural depopulation and the loss of identity
this implies: the disappearance of our culture, the base of our difference in the world.
The Silenced Cathedrals are the old oaks, the language, the alalás (traditional galician
song), the name of the rocks, the cows or the old ribeiranas (traditional galician
dance). They need to be restored and used in order to grow stronger and capture the
hearts of those who don't know them.