Things have been a bit hectic & scattered since Friday here at Robert Frost’s Banjo central—Eberle’s been laid up with a bad cold (now apparently on the mend!) & yours truly has been trying to keep everything going in the midst of a nasty late February cold spell. But late is almost always better than never, so today I’m posting not one but two videos of Ms Kalaniemi’s music!
Eberle & I first encountered Maria Kalaniemi’s music when watching the documentary Accordion Tribe, a film about a band of five accordionists touring Europe. The documentary is fascinating, filled with amazing music & highly recommended. But Ms Kalaniemi’s career encompasses much more than her stint with this accordion “supergroup.” A classically trained accordionist in her native Finland, she has developed into a major force in the Finnish folk music movement, while using her formidable composition & performing skills, she has created memorable music that incorporates not only folk elements, but also jazz & progressive rock. She has recorded both as a solo performer & also as a member of several bands, including Neikku, Aldargaz & the Helsinki Melodeon Ladies. Her music is passionate, lyrical & complex.
Enjoy!
Amazing music. I loved this.
ReplyDeleteHi Tess: So glad you liked it. E & I are especially fond of her album "Bellow Poetry," tho I couldn't find any cuts from that on YT.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's incredible! The first tune sounds like a Celtic melody with pure zydeco accordion accompaniment, while the second tune sounds so very Irish; I could almost see Paddy Maloney and the boys backing this up, and the percussion sounded so much like a bodhrán that I saw Kevin Conneff in my head and expected him to start singing any minute. great stuff.
ReplyDeleteHi Roy: Interesting observations--I can hear what you mean. Kalaniemi's music is awesome. There's some more of her on YT, & her cds are available in the States.
ReplyDelete