Piper Carlos Núñez will headline the 20th edition of Xàbia Folk
The festival also presents the project of the Kurdi Gani Mirzo “La Ruta de la Dignidad” in support of the Duhok refugee camp
Friday 4th March 2022 – Mike Smith
Translated from a press release issued by Ajuntament de Xàbia
The prestigious Xàbia Folk music festival turns 20 this year and it remains true to its roots, presenting a balanced programme between new innovation and old tradition. And for the 2022 edition, the renowned piper Carlos Núñez will be headlining the festival which will take place over the weekend 13th-15th May, a Spanish musician who collaborated with the likes of Ry Cooder, Sinéad O’Conner and The Chieftains as well as Kepa Junkera, the Basque musician who performed at Xàbia Folk 2016.
The Galician, renowned for his skill with the gaita, the traditional Galician bagpipe as well as the Galician flute, ocarina and Irish whistle, amongst other instruments, will be taking the stage alongside the Colla La Xafigà from Muro d’Alcoi, who will be celebrating forty years of making traditional music, offering a mixture of bagpipes and dolçaines which will fuse Galician and Valencian folk.
Councillor Quico Moragues (Culture) and mayor José Chulvi presented the details of the 20th anniversary of the festival alongside the musicians who organise the artistic side of the festival, Toni Torregrosa and Joan Buigues, from the popular local band Romàntica del Saladar. As always, all the concerts are free.
The official presentation of Xàbia Folk 2022 will take place on Friday 22nd April at 8.00pm in the Casa de la Cultura in the heart of the historic centre when Valencian musician and composer Isabel Latorre will present her project “Eixa”.
On Friday 13th May at 10.30pm on the stage in the Plaza de la Constitución, the curtain will rise on the main festival weekend with the performance of Carlos Núñez and La Xafigà, a prestigious soloist together with one of the iconic Valencian folk groups, a huge attraction for both the local community and for those who might travel across the region to enjoy the show in Xàbia.
On Saturday 14th May at 10.30pm on the stage in the Plaza de la Constitución, Gani Mirzo will take to the stage, a musician with Kurdish roots whose oriental melodies merge with flamenco and jazz through instruments such as the lute, the bouzouki, and the Spanish guitar. His project “La Ruta de la Dignidad” is dedicated to refugees fleeing war (an important part of his income is donated to the Duhok refugee camp), a sadly topical situation which has now infected Europe.
The festival will close in usual style on Sunday 15th May at 12 noon with a more intimate performance inside the small chapel of Santa Llúcia by Carol Duran and Núria Lozano, two fundamental artists in the creation and composition of Catalan music.
Councillor Moragues extended an invitation for everyone to come and enjoy the folk festival, an event that enjoys a loyal audience, and one which the local council affords great appreciation and for which year after year offers folk music from all over the country and beyond, many offered by some of the most recognised performers on the folk music scene.
The mayor thanked Toni Torregrosa and La Romàntica del Saladar for their commitment to organising the festival, which has become a benchmark for the genre in the Comunidad Valenciana, which each edition demonstrating a commitment to equality and social values. He added that the festival is a valued attraction for the region and a great incentive to visiti Xàbia and enjoy its hospitality and shopping.
