Press release 27.6.2018
Free to publish immediately
Original stories, experimental music and dance
Kaustinen Folk Music Festival's showcase bands are versatile
The Kaustinen Folk Music Festival showcase concert series will once again present three emerging names in folk music. The jury selected three representative performers from among the applicants, reflecting the different facets of folk music in a great way, also reaching across the Gulf of Finland to the West! Maria Reikko & Best Case Scenario Band guaranteed to make you dance, the Oulu-based Väisänen, etc. interprets its own stories in the form of music and Sweden becomes Trio Törn, which plays with a whole new combination of instruments.
Photo by Susanna Lönnrot.
Maria Reikko & Best Case Scenario Band: ”We want to bring out all the flavours and colours of life through music”
Maria Reikko & Best Case Scenario Band will be remembered as the house band at last year's Iltavilli Riots, where the music was spiced up with glitter and glamour. However, at the heart of this professional band is contemporary folk music that goes underfoot. The band started in 2015 in Kokkola, where all its members have studied folk music.
– When I was studying at the Central Ostrobothnia Conservatory, I asked these musicians to join me in my thesis concert, says the founder of the ensemble. Maria Reikko. I've been very influenced by Tsuumi Sound System and other contemporary folk music bands and wanted to do something similar, but we can also play completely acoustic and stay pretty close to the traditional folk music context.
The songs are composed by Maria Reikko, but they are arranged together. Sometimes there have also been individual trad songs in the repertoire. It is important to the band that the music works both in a more traditional dance style and in a free style.
– We want to offer something for those who like traditional polka and sotis, but at the same time be approachable to others. Danceability is important to us, but almost all songs have some kind of story or background. We want to bring out all the flavours and colours of life through music: joy, horror, happiness, sadness, even emotion.
Folk music entered Reiko's life relatively late, when he was studying at the music school in Kauniainen.
– The folk band there was my first contact with folk music, and I was so inspired by it that I soon applied to Kokkola to study more.
Today, some of the musicians live in Kokkola, others further south.
– People are streaming towards Helsinki, Reikko smiles. Some have still continued their studies at the Sibelius Academy.
Last year, the band was seen as the house band of the new Iltavilli dance concept and will be back again this year when the ”little brother” of Yökatrill takes place for the second time.
– It's really great to be able to do something fresh, and to be able to introduce people to folk dance. Even if you don't dance in a more traditional style, you can still get to the Arena to yodel!
Maria Reikko: piano, guitar
Severi Hietala: saxophone
Sakari Keipi: guitar
Sampsa Kujala: double bass
Satu Lankinen: percussions
Olli Sippola: violin
Oona Yliperttula: violin
Thu 12.7. at 23.15 Café Mondo
Fri 13.7. at 23.00 Central Ostrobothnia Arena (Iltavilli)
51. Kaustinen Folk Music Festival will be held 9.-15.7.2018.
Summer programme information can be found on the website http://www.kaustinen.net
In cooperation with the 150th anniversary of Kaustinen municipality