Radioprogram "Psyche van het Folk", Radio Centraal, Antwerpen. 2002-12-04 : 930-1200 AM.
Kantele music from Finland, Swami and Nordic Voices.


KANTELE SPECIAL :
(text shortened) :
Kantele, a 2000 year old instrument is important for Finnish folk music. 
The earliest records of the kantele can be found in 2 poems from the 
Kalevala (the oldest, most important book of Finland). The oldest 
instrument had 5 strings. Nowadays concertkanteles can have up to 36 
strings.
Finlandia Rec.			Martti Pokela : Sonate for kantele (1994)**°
					Tr.2, "Suo" 8 min (fragment 5 min)
Prof.Martti Pokela is considered to be the "Grandfather of the kantele". 
His fresh style holds the middle between folk and contemporary music.
Finlandia Rec.			Martti Pokela : Snow Kantele (Sámi suite) (1997)***°
					Tr.2, "Reindeer lullaby" 6 min
					Tr.11, "Beer Trail" 6 min
Original and fresh recording, both melodically and musically (sound).
In folk music figure regarded as most important is Arja Kastinen. Minna 
Raskinen should fuse kantele music with a meditative Indian sound. I did 
not hear here music yet. A folk group that uses kantele :
Finnish Folk Inst.		Loituma (1995)***'
					Tr.4, "Viimesen Keran" 4 min
					Tr.6, "Kun Mun Kultani Tulisi" 6 min
					Tr.9, "Suo" 7 min 17 
Very pleasant sound with a certain divinity and purity. With some beautiful 
female harmonies in a tempered mode.
The second album is more traditional, with more attention to violin.
Ondine Octopus			Timo Väänänen : Voyage / Matka (2001)***°
					Tr.2, "Elviira" 5 min
					Tr.4, "Rainy Window" 6 min
					Tr.5, "Riposti" 6 min
					Tr.10, "Riposti remix" 4 min 21 
Hannu Koisinen developed the electric kantele. Timo has an original 
approach with the electric kantele, let the sound of the instrument 
blossom. The modern bonus has a good production, sounds promising towards 
new territories.
Finlandia Rec.			Ulla Pirttijärvi : In our foremother's Arms (2002)****
					Tr.2, "Hear the sound of the yoik" 4 min
					Tr.1, "Nothern Silk" 4 min
					Tr.6, "New York" 5 min (shortened fragment 1 min)
					Tr.10,"Modern Times" 5 min
					Tr.12,"In our foremother's arms" 4 min 
Very original combination of modern production, folk, singer-songwriting, 
yoik. Highly recommended. A few electronic sounds were added too.
Rockadillo Rec.			Wimme : Gierran (1997)***
					Tr.1, "Iras" 4 min 4 
Electronic sounds, fusion with yoik. Don't know which album of his is worth 
investigation at most. 
Real World			Mari Boine Persen : Gula Gula (1990)**°
					Tr.2, "Vilges Suola" 5 min  93
One of the earlist Swami singer-songwriting recordings I know of.
Rykodisc			Márta Sebestyén : Apocrypha
(HU,1992)***°°(compilation album)
					Tr.1, " Spring, Spring "4 min
					Tr.7, " Hegyen-Völgyön " 4 min
					Tr.10, " Element Az Én Rozsam " 4 min 12 
http://www.rykodisc.com/Catalog/CatalogArtist_01.asp?Action=Get&Artist_ID=153
Played in this show to compare. Nice female voice, traditional folk songs 
with beautiful electronica.
TI Records			Towering Inferno : Kaddish (UK,1993)**°
					Tr.19, "The Rose" 4 min
					Tr.1, "The Rose" 4 min
					Tr.7, "Not Me" 5 min
					Tr.20,"The Bell" 5 min
Jewish film-project with too many contradictions. The tracks with the help 

of Marthy Sebestyén and with texts of Endre Szkárosi are splendid.  
Next tracks are the tracks of Nordic voices I would have liked to hear 
a second time after having browsed trough my collection from Finland and 
Norway :
Wood Prod.			Vilddas (2000)***
					Tr.2,"Jieknaahpi" 6 min
Frea Rec.			Värttinä : Ilmatar (2001)****
					Tr.6-8 13 min 145
The group succeeded to become better troughout the years. Splendid release, 
powerful, full of into depth expressions. Good production.
Music & Words			Rare Nordic Grooves (N,1998)*°
					Tr.10, Folk & Rackare : Adam I Paradis 5 min 5
From all groups involved on this compilation this group I liked the most. 
Although they sound very modern, with beautiful vocal harmonies they 
existed between 1976 and 1986. A very important influence to the Nordic 
folkrock groups of the nineties.
Westpark Music			Garmarna : Guds Spelemaän (N,1996)***°
					Tr.2, 4 10 min 10
Splendid release. Powerful, but more pleasant than the Hedningarna release.
I heard nowadays Hoven Droven and Garmarna formed a more traditional group, 
Triakel.
Music & Words			Hedningarna : Trä (N,1995)***°
					Tr.8, 11 11 min 10 +20
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