Hubert von Goisern and die Alpinkatzen (Zabine) ‘Da Juchitzer’ Live in Munich (Video)

zabine da juchitzer

You know that feeling you sometimes get, when you listen to a song for the first time and, five bars in, you think, “God, this is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard”?

That just happened to me with this — Hubert von Goisern and die Alpinkatzen (Zabine) performing ‘Da Juchitzer‘.

So, who are they?

Apparently, Hubert von Goisern is an Austrian musician who performs a mix of folk music, rock, punk and world music. A fascinating sound.

Of course, not being Austrian or ever having been to Austria, I wasn’t familiar with his music until this morning (New Note a few years later — weirdly, I actually now live in Austria — life throws you strange shit sometimes, eh?), but that is about to change as talk about incredible.

Plus, much of what he creates is political or social commentary in nature, which I love (the Austrian Billy Bragg maybe?)

As for the woman who is singing on ‘Da Juchitzer‘, she is from a folk band called die Alpinkatzen — a band that was originally created by Hubert von Goisern back in the 1990s.

Her name is Sabine Kapfinger (she also goes by the name Zabine). Her music is a mixture of Austrian folk, house and hip hop and, yes, yodeling, and how beautiful is that?

The performance I am showcasing today was filmed live in Munich, and it’s Zabine and Hubert von Goisern performing ‘Da Juchitzer‘.

(Sorry, I have absolutely no idea what that means, and Google Translate was spectacularly deficient – ADDITIONAL NOTE: An Austrian just told me ‘Da Juchitzer’ “means “yeah” in english, but much more intensive than “yeah”, with breathing out in high voice to show real happiness!” Now isn’t THAT perfect.)

But this track, from the opening bars where the pipes play, and Zabine begins to yodel, ‘Da Juchitzer’ will make the hairs on your arms stand up.

Because remember, her voice sounds this pure — live — and then his comes in, adding a deeper, richer more human feel to it. Phenomenal.

Listen to it below. Now isn’t that music you would want to rise to heaven to?

NOTE: The same Austrian who translated the meaning of ‘Da Juchitzer’ just told me Zabine was the second female juror during Conchita Wurst’s audition for ‘Die Grosse Chance’ (the most touching video you will ever see, by the way).

I thought I recognized her. (I just forgot everyone in Austria knows everybody else 🙂 )

 

About Michelle Topham

I'm a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I'm also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!