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]
