Finland - North & Central Ostrobothnia

Next on our virtual tour through Finland we're heading for the regions of Ostrobothnia, of which there are four, North, Central, South and just Ostrobothnia.  First stop is the municipality of Lumijoki  on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia in North Ostrobothnia, where violinist and lead singer of the progressive folk band Auri Johanna Kurkela was born in 1985.  Johanna once represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest and the music of Auri could easily feature in the schmalz fest as one of the better performances.  Here is the opening track to their 2018 self-titled debut album called The Space Between:    

Next we are heading inland to the town of Haapavesi, still in the North Ostrobothnia region, where accordionist and composer Teija Niku was born in 1982.  She is known for her expertise in both Nordic and Balkan folk music on her diatonic button accordion. In her latest critically acclaimed album Hetkessä she plays completely solo and develops her own unique style.  The title of the album translates as either 'in the moment' or 'happening in seconds'.  Here is a track from the album called Salakavala:

Now Helsinki might be the administrative and political capital of Finland, however there is only one undisputed music capital in Finland and that is the town Kaustinen in Central Ostrobothnia.  It's a town of just 4,300 souls built on a crossroad by a river and seems unremarkable.  However, once a year for a week in July the population swells to 60,000+ as musicians and music fans alike descend on the town for the biggest folk festival in the Nordic countries, the Kaustinen Folk Festival.  It started in 1968, initially to celebrate the local fiddle-based folk music tradition, which is said to go back some 250 years.  The festival soon became nicknamed the Woodstock of the North.  So if you want to attend this year, it will be held between the 10th-16th July (which of course clashes with the Riddu Riddu festival I recommended in the last post).

The Kaustinen fiddle tradition has now been given UN Heritage protected status, so it goes without saying that the local music scene is alive and well.  We start with traditional folk band Tallari who have been going since 1986 with various changes in personnel and have released 18 full length albums since then.  Theirs is the typical fiddle-led uplifting balfolk of the region accompanied by harmonium and guitar. Here is a tune from their latest 2021 album Luontua (Natural) called Markkinamassi:

Also formed in the early 1980's in Kaustinen are the fiddle band JPP, which is short for Järvelän pikkupelimannit, which means little fiddlers from the village of Järvelä, which boasts several members of the Järvelä family.  They are also grounded in the Kaustinen folk style, but often add elements of Americana, Jazz and classical music.  They haven't recorded anything new in some time, their albums are somewhat tricky to get hold of now.  Their website sadly is also inactive now.  This is a tune that appeared on the 2000 Rough Guide to Scandinavia compilation, and it's called Antin Mikko:

Another band in the same vein and with some of the same members is Troka, who were formed in 1993 in Kaustinen.  Here is a tune from their 1994 self-titled debut album called Klockar Aleksanteri:

Also featuring members of the Järvelä family is fiddle band Frigg.  They incorporate Hardanger fiddle and mandolin amongst other instruments to their sets with occasional hints of bluegrass, leading to their style being described as Nordgrass.  Here is a tune from their 2020 album Frixx called Early Bird:

Fiddler and composer Ville Kangas (his website is currently under construction) comes from an eminent musical family in Kaustinen.  He was classically trained and he blends many international genres and electronic elements into his compositions.  Here's a track from his 2017 album Plastic Fiddle Band called 100 kg:

Ville Kangas is also a member of the Prusikoukku Sound System, who produce mostly a more poppy sound in their instrumental arrangements.  Here is a more serene tune from their 1999 album Mahtava:

There are numerous other acts in and around Kaustinen such as the Kaustinen Potpourri Players and the  Kaustisen Purppuripelimannit, or folk-pop band Folkarit, but I think this is where we leave Kaustinen and continue our virtual journey around Finland with South Ostrobothnia and Central Finland next.  In the meantime you can follow my virtual ramblings on my Tripline map.