Snekka: MOT

SNEKKA MOT (Mika Oli Todistottava) Kansanmusiiki-Instituutti 91

VILLE OJANEN Rautavaara Seita Music Ky 009

These two recordings represent some of the best examples of contemporary electric settings for Finnish music-in-the-tradition that isn't reaching our shores. Both groups were featured at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival this past July, Ojanen actually debuting the release of his disc there. Calling this music "folk-rock" is tempting, but the Kaustinen crowd are less about bi-genre combining than a deeper, more organic and open assimilation of influences. Think of it more like a broadening of tools with which to make their music.

The link between the two recordings is Troka-vet Ojanen, who produced Snekka's debut in 2004 before taking a strike at his own solo project this year. A guitar-fiddle-accordion driven instrumental quintet, Snekka's sound is something of a cross between the Svenska-Finno legends Hedningarna (sans vocals) and Kaustinen's fiddlereigning sound and spirit. The material here is very strong: A dozen instruments that evoke the best of contemporary Finnish folk. They are each well-rooted, but eager to engage influences as varied as Gypsy, Celtic and classical ... beautiful, complex melodies; tightly played and arranged by instrumentalists whose skills belie the youth of the players. (Snekka was the 2004 Kaustinen Folk Music Festival's "Ensemble of the Year.") I think one of the things that attracts me to Finnish music is the lyrical, almost theatrical, approach to the instru-mentals, and the 12 pieces here make my case, running a broad emotional gamut, sometimes playful, sometimes dark, but always interesting and striking. A great debut.

Ojanen's solo outing is also very worthy of attention. As mentioned above, Ville's fiddle is a key component in the Kaustinen ensemble Troka, a group that merges the approach taken by regional heroes JPP as well as Maria Kalaniemi's brilliant ensemble Aldargaz. In addition to that stellar work, Ville was also at the front of two other well recognized local groups (Ottoset and Folkarit), and he had also composed and performed classical pieces and film scores in Finland. It's worth noting, too, that he got his musical start--like most of the younger players in Kaustinen as a student of Mauno Jarvela, founder and leader of JPP.

The material for Ville's debut solo release was composed with a state grant. (Those Finns really know how to support their artists!) While the result sometimes sounds a bit more like Genesis than harkening to the beginning of Kaustinen fiddling, there's a good bit of the classic Finnfolk stuff here, too. Bottom line is that this is an auspicious solo outing from a skilled, masterful musician who has barely cracked his 30s!

COPYRIGHT 2006 Sing Out Corporation
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group