Dan Ansotegui was raised by the scents and tastes of his mother’s cooking and the sound of his father’s music. The music came from the accordion and the aromas that filled the house were brought to this country by his grandmother Epi. His exposure to the traditions of the Basque Country prepared him for a life of immersive study, commitment to preservation, and a talent for performance. Through his role as master, mentor, and entrepreneur, Dan is a bearer of Basque music, dance, and foodways traditions that contribute to the creative growth and sustainability of his cultural community. Dan is a National Heritage Award recipient (2019), performs traditional Basque dance music, and plays in a fusion Basque pop band called Amuma Says No. He is also one of the primary teachers in the Boise trikitixa and pandero teaching program, training new players of Basque music on diatonic accordion and tambourine.
Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 06/10/2020.

Bethany is a professional recording artist and session vocalist with classical vocal training, choir, musical theater, and worship leading experience. She can also dance, play piano/keyboard, and write song lyrics. Bethany just finished co-writing and recording vocals for a chill but dark electronic album written and produced by Yuri Kryzhanivskyy. She defines herself as pretty trance, chill, alternative, alt/dream pop/rock/punk-oriented, but has dynamic singing style abilities.
Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/5/2020.

Oliver Thompson started playing classical violin as a kid and progressed to bluegrass, blues and rock, and finally jazz when he earned a B.A. in Music from San Jose State University. While studying East Indian music in the San Francisco Bay Area, he started to develop his interests in world music styles. He has recorded with several artists including Bob Culbertson, Mondo Raga Samba, Amuma Says No, and Steve Fulton. Oliver currently plays with Serenata Orchestra and the Basque group Kalimotxo Cowboys. In addition, he performs and records with the Moody Jews of Boise, a band that favors a high-energy klezmer (Eastern European), Jewish-American jazz, and Sephardic (Middle Eastern and Spanish) and Israeli tunes. Audience favorites at events like Deli Days: Idaho’s Jewish Festival, World Village Festival, and Hyde Park Street Fair, the Moody Jews of Boise have entertained and educated listeners about the multi-faceted world of Jewish Music.
Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/09/2020.