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Anna-Kaisa Liedes & Utua
Utua (Texicalli)
These songs have their roots deep in the Finnish-Karelian-Ingrian folk tradition. Liedes combines traditional verses with contemporary musical idioms, giving them a fresh and personal touch. Inspired by the eternal themes of traditional poetry - love, disappointment, passion and the complicated entwining of love and hatred, she paints her epic interpretations with subtle tones and expressive colors. The story is completed by an ensemble of musicians with backgrounds in folk and jazz.
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Listen:
Usein miun utulsen
Aia sina laulu
Minkahas taika
Anna-Kaisa Liedes: vocal
Ape Anttila: bass
Kristiina Ilmonen: percussion, flutes
Topi Korhonen: guitar
Vilma Timonen: kantele
One of Finland's more prominent and progressively minded folk music singers, Anna-Kaisa Liedes has been an integral part of the development of the modern experimental folk music scene for over twenty years. Besides Finno-Ugrian song tradition, Anna-Kaisa Liedes specializes in voice improvisation. She has been performing worldwide as a solo artist and with groups such as Niekku and MeNaiset, and has composed and performed music for film and theatre. Liedes has recorded several albums both solo and with different ensembles. Her first solo CD "Oi Miksi" was internationally re-released by Riverboat Records 1994.
The music of Anna-Kaisa Liedes and the Utua group has its roots deep in the Finnish-Carelian-Ingrian folk song tradition. Liedes combines traditional verses with contemporary musical idiom, giving them a fresh and personal touch. Inspired by the eternal themes of traditional poetry – love, disappointment, passion, and the odd interlacement of love and hatred, she paints her epic interpretations with subtle tones and expressive vowel colours.
The musicians of the Utua group come from the Finnish folk music and jazz scenes.
One of the most active jazz bass players in Finland, Ari-Pekka "Ape" Anttila has played with most important Finnish jazz groups, including UMO Jazz Orchestra, Breadmachine, Lenni-Kalle Taipale Trio, Pekka Luukka and Risto Toppola ensembles and his own Quartet Coyote, touring extensively in Europe and USA.
Kristiina Ilmonen has played in folk music groups such as Ottopasuuna, Suomussalmiryhmä and Väinönputki. She has worked as a session musician in several recordings, including artists such as jazz saxophonist Jari Perkiömäki, the Finnish heavy metal group Nightwish as well as many folk music names. Ilmonen has also been composing and performing new folk music for several modern dance productions.
Topi Korhonen has previously played in the well-respected folk groups Kiperä and Kouon Frouva and he continues to make music in the Tanzanian-Finnish duo PolePole.
Vilma Timonen plays the modernized, electric versions of the Finnish national instrument, kantele. She has toured solo in Europe and USA and has been working with the well-known Finnish folk dance band Tsuumi Sound System.
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