Beautiful. Elegant. Thoughtful. The Finnish accordionist Maria Kalaniemi produces exciting folk inspired music which stretches the bounds of traditional folk harmonies and melody shapes.
One of my favorite albums of hers is Iho (click here to hear a taste). An album of rollicking and equally peaceful portraits of accordion and a beefed up string ensemble called Aldargaz. The arrangements, by equally brilliant Timo Alakotila, are particularly interesting to me. Like track 9,  Såde, a tune based all around singable melody which sits from the very beginning upon a bed of poly-rhythmic instrument parts.

Maria Kalaniemi is a constant source of joy and inspiration.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyW_m2me-C4]

In my explorations of Richard Galliano’s (one of the foremost accordionists today) cannon, I came across his new record entitled “Love Day”. Which I was delighted to see has both Charlie Haden and Gonzalo Rubalcaba as personnel on it. Very exciting considering these are two of my favorite musicians!

Also, I picked up Galliano’s album Passatori. An amazingly lush, and exciting record. It goes right in there with Coral by David Sanchez, Black Dhalia by Bob Belden and Now is the Hour by Charlie Haden. If you love lush string writing with jazz harmonies, pick up Passatori. (Link to a video of Galliano Performing some of the Passatori music live.)

You can check out the youtube short vid of them in the recording studio.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxiOGkQOp_0]

Welcome to my website. It is a work in progress.

As is in real life, the music is being a bit fickle.

Feel free to check it out, look and listen.