Posts Tagged ‘varttina’

Words by Fiona Talkington

Thirty years in, and no sign of letting up

Värttinä fans have been holding their breath ever since Miero in 2006. Not only has a new album been a long time coming but the band has gone through a number of upheavals and changes in personnel. They’re about to celebrate 30 years of Värttinä, which rather puts Utu under scrutiny. Without any disrespect to the outstanding instrumentalists who’ve contributed to the Värrtinä family over the years it has been the singers who have captivated audiences, with their beguiling harmonies, their extraordinary stage presence, and their graphic portrayals of powerful women of Finnish legend, from fishwives to wailing banshees. Luckily Mari Kaasinen, Susan Aho and Johanna Virtanen are still with us, and their relaxed enjoyment of the music and feisty performances are at the core of Utu.

Multi-instrumentalist Matti Kallio is new to the band, but he and Hannu Rantanen (on bass) are as assured and colourful as is necessary to carry Värttinä onwards. There are guests too, notably famous joik musician Wimme Sari on ‘Manattu’. Although this doesn’t rival the brilliant Ilmatar or Miero in terms of invention, Utu is nevertheless deservedly one of the most important Finnish releases and a continued powerful testament to what this band has done for Finnish music on the international stage. It’s fun, beautifully produced and an assurance to Värttinä fans worldwide that, despite the changes, there is no compromise in quality.  Listen to the haunting ‘Kutsu’ or the compelling ‘Tantsu’ (Dance), and you’ll be more than happy to add this one to your Värttinä collection; it won’t be very long before you’re dancing and singing along.

Track to try: Kutsu

Tags: fiona talkington, top of the world, utu, varttina.

This podcast includes highlights from the November/December 2012 issue of Songlines (#88) opening with music from Bellowhead’s new album Broadside. Songlines editor-in-chief, Simon Broughton, plays an excerpt by Orchestra Baobab, a bonus track chosen by David and Peter Adjaye as part of their playlist this issue. There is also music from the bonus CD this issue –  a Welsh music sampler – compiled by Cerys Matthews.

Features include: Kathryn Werntz on the Mali crisis, Chris Moss on Daniel Melingo and Simon Broughton on the Sufi Sutra Festival. Nathaniel Handy brings you the latest news with music from Värttinä and more. The podcast ends with a track from Lau’s new album Race the Loser.

The next Songlines podcast, featuring highlights from the January/February issue (#89), will be available from December 7 2012.

Tags: bellowhead, cerys matthews, daniel melingo, orchestra baobab, songlines podcast, sufi sutra, varttina.

The November/December 2012 issue of Songlines is on sale in the UK from October 12 and includes our regular Top of the World CD with ten tracks from the finest new releases from around the planet. The Top of the World CD also includes five tracks selected by the Adjaye brothers – the renowned architect David and musician/producer Peter.

The Top of the World CD features tracks from folk big band Bellowhead; Finnish musical veterans Värttinä; The Souljazz Orchestra; Korean six-stringed zither quartet Geomungo Factory; genre-bending Brazilian Lucas Santtana; the innovative Sotho Sounds; and award-winning Lau, among others.

Pick up your copy here on the website, at selected WHSmith’s and at all good record retailers. Feast your ears on these all-new tracks:

* Bellowhead ‘The Wife of Usher’s Well’ on Navigator Records
* Värttinä ‘Tuuterin Tyttäret’ on Rockadillo Records
* The Souljazz Orchestra ‘Bibinay’ on Strut
* Rumi Ensemble & Salar Aghili ‘Roz o Shab’ on Talik
* Geomungo Factory ‘Geomungo & Tango’ on Dada Media
* Lucas Santtana ‘Jogos Madrugais’ on Mais Um Discos
* Félix Lajkó ‘A Madárnak’ on Fonó
* Lau ‘Torsa’ on Reveal Records
* Sotho Sounds ‘Mobopong’ on Riverboat Records
* Juanchín y sus Pleneros del Palmar with Tasso Peña ‘Maldito Vicio’ on Vampisoul

Plus the Adjaye brothers’ playlist:

* Yaaba Funk ‘Nyash – E Go Bite U’ (Olatunde Remix) on Here and Now Recordings
* FOKN Bois ‘Gimme Pinch’ on FOKN Bois
* Amira Kheir ‘Mashena’ on Contro Cultura Music
* Randolph Matthews ‘Indigenous Man’ on Randolph Matthews Music
* Wunmi ‘Keep it Rockin’’ on Wunmigirl Music

Tags: adjaye, bellowhead, felix lajko, geomungo, juanchin, lau, lucas santtana, rumi ensemble, songlines, sotho sounds, souljazz orchestra, top of the world, varttina.

Our second annual Songlines Encounters Festival starts in less than two weeks and we’ve got an exciting line-up for day two.

The accordion and tango is the red thread that runs through this special evening featuring three brilliant bands.

The concert opens with Lepistö & Lehti, the imaginative accordion and double bass duo from Finland. Nominated in our Songlines Music Awards 2011, accordionist Markku Lepistö and bass player Pekka Lehti have a shared heritage in the Finnish group Värttinä. Their collaboration as a duo is daring, innovative and virtuosic, combining the seductiveness of jazz and the sensitivity of chamber music with rare emotional warmth.

The evening then develops with the Kosmos Ensemble, a string trio plus Miloš Milivojević on accordion. Exploring rich textures, entrancing rhythms and influences from across the world (Arabic, Balkan, tango) with style and panache, the trio features Harriet Mackenzie on violin, Meg Hamilton on viola and Shirley Smart on cello.

The concert will conclude with the Fugata Quintet, an international group of instrumentalists playing the visceral and dramatic tango nuevo of Astor Piazzolla.

You can book your tickets by visiting the Kings Place website or by calling +44 (0)20 7520 1490. We hope to see you there!

Tags: astor piazzola, fugata quintet, harriet mackenzie, kings place, kosmos ensemble, lepisto lehti, mey hamilton, milos milivojevic, shirley smart, songlines encounters festival, songlines music awards 2011, varttina.