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Sanna Kurki-Suonio Huria (Rockadillo / Westpark) Another powerful work by the singer who helped bring hedningarna to international fame, Huria is a follow-up to Sanna Kurki-Suoni's acclaimed Kainuu, a duo project with Riitta Huttunen, this 2007 release pushes the boundaries of their exploration of Karelian folk music with a stronger, more contemporary trio project, joined by Karelian multi-instrumentalist Jari Lappalainen.

Listen: The gravedigger Reckless Vagabond girl Press for the record label: In some ways Huria can been seen as a follow-up to Sanna Kurki-Suonio & Riitta Huttunen’s album Kainuu (2004) as many of the traditional songs are again 100 years old tunes from Finland’s north-eastern Kainuu region. But where Kainuu was pure folklore, Huria sounds like contemporary acoustic folk or World music. There are also some great original tunes by the band members, most notably maybe the very catchy Matkalla. The new CD was produced very tastefully by Tapani Rinne of electro jazz band RinneRadio and he kept the sound minimalistic and true to the roots. Huria is acoustic and organic, but somehow it sounds very modern, too. It is worth noting that Tapani Rinne was also the producer behind Kimmo Pohjonen’s and Wimme’s breakthrough albums a few years ago. Sanna Kurki-Suonio is a unique talent, a singer who understands the rich tradition of her instrument but who is also interested in exploring contemporary styles and techniques. Sanna is internationally best known for her career with Swedish folk rock band Hedningarna. She sang and played on and composed for Hedningarna's three most successful albums, Kaksi (1992), Trä (1994) and Karelia Visa (1999), and performed with the band all over the world for more than eight years. Sanna's first solo album Musta was released internationally in 1998 and got excellent reviews. After her solo album she toured USA and Europe with Swedish viola player Magnus Stinnerbom, composed the Kalevala 150th Anniversary concert with Finnish rock star A.W. Yrjänä and sang on recordings by a.o. Pekka Lehti, Transjoik, Frode Fjellheim and Tapiola Chamber Choir. Riitta Huttunen graduated from the folk music department of Sibelius Academy in 1995. She also studied koto playing in Japan and West-Javanese music and dance in Indonesia. She has worked as a kantele player in many folk music and kantele ensembles since 1985 and has performed in Russia, Germany, Japan, Indonesia, USA, Hungary, Mexico and Greece. Riitta researched and edited the book Kainuun laulukirja (Songbook from Kainuu) in 2001, which gave Sanna the inspiration for their duo as well as for the Kainuu recording. Jari Lappalainen is a multi-instrumentalist, based in Joensuu, North Carelia. He specializes in percussion, but also plays many string instruments. For the album as well as on stage he uses many interesting pieces of kitchenware for percussion. Jari also plays with the band Folkswagen and he writes and plays music for many theater productions. When he hooked up with Sanna and Riitta in early 2006, the Sanna Kurki-Suonio Trio was born. Reviews: Helsingin Sanomat, Helsinki, November 10, 2007: Huria by Sanna Kurki-Suonio and her trio is an album of strong songs and a strong singer. The emotional register of the voice reveals a range of nuances that is rich and approaches the listener, without a need to emphasize the skills of the singer with extreme forms of expression. On the contrary, the journey takes, at its best, inward and towards the core, deep into the story. Among the best are the original piece Reckless (Huria) and The vagabond girl (Tyttö kulkija) whose lyrics are traditional. I woke up (Nousin) rises into hypnotic blues and would have endured a longer buildup. Bidding farewell (Eron hetki) resounds with the power of a hymn. Riitta Huttunen’s kantele is filled with character and Jari Lappalainen’s percussions are fine-tuned and minimalist. The bass clarinet of the album’s producer, Tapani Rinne, paints Evening song (Iltalaulu) with peace. These are humble folk songs, but the epithet ‘merely’ can be forgotten. The alliance of old and new is seamless. Aamulehti/Valo, Tampere, November 9, 2007: Sanna Kurki-Suonio hits with a versatile album. Rooted into tradition, Huria stretches into many directions but keeps its style. The album, created with Riitta Huttunen, Jari Lappalainen and Tapani Rinne, rocks and rattles at times like the best of them: The vagabond girl (Tyttö kulkija) and On the road (Matkalla) are exactly the kind of songs that folk music needs to increase its audience. Turun sanomat/Viikkoliite, Turku, November 14, 2007: The former Hedningarna singer Sanna Kurki-Suonio returns with aplomb on her third solo album. Huria focuses on folk tradition, especially street ballads from Kainuu, but the renditions are contemporary. The songs, with their joys and sorrows, arise from the earth and the people. In the exotically groovy The gravedigger (Haudankaivaja), man’s hurry and hustle are set into the right dimensions, and the catchy title song rolls like autumn waves. The soloist is accompanied by Riitta Huttunen, Jari Lappalainen and Tapani Rinne, who has also produced the album. Kantele, percussions, wind instruments, and synthesizers which subtly complement the organic sound, create an amazing soundscape with references to primitive ethnomusic as well as meditative ambient music. Minimalist accompaniment, hypnotic performances and moving lyrics unite into a magnificent whole: the songs come close and make you ponder on the relativity of time and experiences.

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