Betto Arcos

Betto Arcos

A native of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, Betto Arcos is an independent radio producer and host of Tuesday's Global Village on Pacifica Radio's KPFK in Los Angeles.

Cristina Pato Brings the Galician Bagpipe to the Jazz and Classical World

March 4, 2013 ⋅ Post a comment
Cristina Pato. (Cristina Pato on Facebook)

Cristina Pato. (Cristina Pato on Facebook)

Cristina Pato was playing piano and the Gaita, the Galician bagpipe, back in Spain.

As a classically-trained pianist, Cristina Pato can play Mozart to John Cage to The Beatles.

Now, she’s immersed in the jazz and world music scene in New York and focuses on playing the Galician bagpipe.

She says she’s found the freedom to play any kind of music on this instrument.

“Probably, for me right now, after almost eight years living in New York and working with musicians from all around the world, I feel more confident about taking my instrument out of its comfort zone,” Pato says. “I think I have an amazing instrument. I think we Galicians have an amazing instrument that is the Galician bagpipe, the Gaita.”


Discussion

5 comments for “Cristina Pato Brings the Galician Bagpipe to the Jazz and Classical World”

  • bleep44

    I realize that it’s just my personal opinion, but the scratching-wailing sound of this instrument is the most annoying thing I have ever heard on NPR in the last 25 years. 

    • http://www.facebook.com/kevin.carr.3114 Kevin Carr

       My personal opinion is that it is beautiful in an atavisitic soulful way. I am glad you are free not to listen to things you don’t like. But haven’t you ever heard the old adage – if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything?

  • http://www.facebook.com/carla.m.elliott.1 Carla McDonald Elliott

    I have been involved in various forms of music all my life. While I have always loved the sound of the bagpipe (must be because of my Irish roots!), despite its sometimes flat-tuned sound (which I don’t like…), I was actually pleasantly surprised by the music Cristina presented that I heard on NPR tonight. To hear what I think were Mexican-style and jazz-style music presented by a marvelously talented whiz of a musician was very exciting, even though neither venue is my favorite. I am just amazed that Cristina is able to do such! Congratulations and best wishes to her!!

  • http://twitter.com/cmendoza Carmen Mendoza

    Cool podcast. I enjoyed listening to the music. I lived in Asturias for a couple of years and learned that the bagpipes are also played there. Northern Spain is so different than the south. 

  • http://profiles.google.com/jrl.photog John Lawrence

    A very foxy lady making some wonderful music on an instrument usually relegated to men wearing skirts w/ no underwear beneath. (And their music? …It’s too often cadenced and shrill.)

    She and they, each must use a different bladder.

    She is superb!

    The others, only occasionally.

    JRL

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