Maria Kalaniemi, Marianne Maans, Olli Varis
I Ramunders Fotsp�r
Finnish-Swedish Folk Music Institute, Finland

I Ramunders Fotsp�r ("In Ramunder's Footsteps") is by the trio of Maria Kalaniemi (accordion), Marianne Maans (violin) and Olli Varis (guitar) performing Swedish-Finnish songs, with each offering vocals on many tracks. Unlike most of Kalaniemi's recordings, this is mostly traditional material. Each artist is allowed significant creative freedom in the interpretation of the songs, but they are always first and foremost folk songs. They run from the gorgeous and dignified "Herr Pedar" about a seaman pondering his death at sea, to the buoyant fiddle solo "Ekorrhjulet." Some

"Grotthalsning"

tunes are graced by the additional musicianship of Janne Lappalainen (V�rttin�) on saxophone, Tapani Varis (Aldargaz) on double bass and Jew's harp and percussionist Kristiina Ilmonen, but the structure of the pieces is always simple and direct, recorded with sparse production. Medieval ballads, more modern folk dances and a host of tunes and ballads offer a glimpse at the unique Swedish music of western Finland. - Cliff Furnald

Available at cdRoots

Audio ©2000 Kalaniemi, Maans and Varis, used by permission