The boys are back in town!

Väsen: Live in Japan, plus DVD Väsen So Far (1989-2005). Northside CD NSD6087. $16.

When I first heard Väsen live at Cedar Valley Grange in the early summer of 1996, I realized that I'd better start learning Scandinavian dance. I started lessons with Art and Pat that summer. Väsen has that kind of electrifying effect, especially live, of course, but also in their various recordings. For those of us who love the combination of traditional timbres brought by nyckelharpa, fiddle (viola), and guitar, their music is stellar. Even on their earliest CD, simply titled Väsen (which subsequently became the group's name), the mastery of Olov Johansson, Mikael Marin, and Roger Tallroth was apparent. When Levande Väsen, their first concert CD, came out, the electricity of live performance made that mastery even more evident.

Later, the group acquired a fourth member, André Ferrari, a percussionist whose knowledge of complex South Asian and other ethnic polyrhythms brought new dimensions to the group's repertoire. André's trap set, bells, chimes, and multitudinous struck instruments added many rhythmic and polyphonic layers. The audience response to this new sound was mixed. Some welcomed its "world music" feel; others rejected it and their allegiance fell away.

Live in Japan, the trio's second concert CD (the Nordic Roots Festival CD, issued in 2000, featured the quartet), demonstrates not only that the trio has returned to its earlier format, but also that Ferrari's sophisticated musical talents have left a positive mark on the band independent of his rhythmic contributions. Without doubt, Ferrari broadened the group's collective musical understanding and brought the discipline necessary to embody it. While his contributions constrained the group's performances (and no one felt this more than the original trio themselves), the "Ferrari era" resulted in the trio being more tightly interconnected than ever. And there is an irrepressible "school's out" feeling to their playing that complements the solidarity among the band's members. The boys are indeed "back in town" (though not, alas, in this town just yet).

This is the third CD to come out from the reconstituted trio, being preceded by Trio and Keyed Up. Understandably, many of the cuts on this album are the same as on Keyed Up, as that was the current CD being promoted in concert. But Väsen is one of those wonderful groups that never plays the same piece twice the same way.

The bonus DVD, Väsen So Far (1989-2005), that accompanies the CD brings important contributions to understanding the group's history and inner workings. Of its five tracks, the most important are the first three: "An Aural History" reveals—in a typically Swedish way—the summary given here, and much more; "Collaborations" shows how the group prepares for performance; and "Tales of Two Tunes" includes footage from the original 1992 performance of the beautiful "Johsefins Dopvals," at the baptism itself, with a shot of Johsefin today. Don't miss it!

—Paul Jordan-Smith

Himself Anders Norudde—NorthSide NSD6046 Anders Norudde, formerly Anders Stake, is a multi-instrumentalist who plays fiddle, hardingfele, säckpipa (Swedish bagpipes), moraharpa (medieval nyckelharpa), lira (Swedish hurdy-gurdy), various Swedish flutes, etc. Prominent in the Swedish folk scene since the 70s, and a member of the influential group Blå Bergens Borduner, he formed Hedningarna in 1987 with Hållbus Totte Mattson and Björn Tollin.

With this CD, Anders returns to his roots. Eighteen tunes, mostly from Värmland, Närke, and Dalarna, are traditional, and eight are newly composed but within the tradition. Two were composed by Göran "Freddy" Fredriksson, another member of Blå Bergens Borduner, who plays guitar or bouzouki on five cuts. Anders also plays multiple instruments on three cuts, adding a second track on fiddle or lira. Some tunes feature säckpipa as the lead instrument, while others feature fiddle, moraharpa, and various wooden flutes.

As with many solo albums, parts of Himself may pose a challenge to those unfamiliar with Swedish traditional music. Scales with blue notes (quarter tones) sound rich, real, and appealing to aficionados, but can sound sour to the uninitiated ear. Anders is certainly one of the best säckpipa players today, and an all-around top-notch musician on his many instruments. I definitely enjoy this CD, and listen to it often.

Alas, NorthSide continues its unfortunate tendency of nearly illegible writing. The picture on the back cover interferes with one's ability to read the writing, and the entire booklet is produced in rather small text.

—Bart Brashers

Cugu by Wimme; NorthSide CD NSD6048

Saami joik artist Wimme Saari has managed to attract considerable attention to his music over the past few years for two very good reasons.First, his joik style is unique: Wimme uses a very rough vocal timbre, far more reminiscent of the sound of older field recordings than the smoother sound of most contemporary perform–ers of this genre.Second, Wimme combines his prodigious singing talents with techno and ambient arrangements created by members of the Finnish group, Rinne Radio.tc "Saami joik artist Wimme Saari has managed to attract considerable attention to his music over the past few years for two very good reasons.First, his joik style is unique\: Wimme uses a very rough vocal timbre, far more reminiscent of the sound of older field recordings than the smoother sound of most contemporary perform–ers of this genre.Second, Wimme combines his prodigious singing talents with techno and ambient arrangements created by members of the Finnish group, Rinne Radio."

That said, Wimme is definitely an acquired taste, perfect for those postmodern listeners who enjoy the occasional foray into cognitive dissonance, or who like their joik served up with a pulsating techno beat.Highlights on this recording include the guest appearance of joik singer Inga Juuso, and the inclusion of Wimme's "hit," Texas, which was the subject of an NPR feature several years ago. tc "That said, Wimme is definitely an acquired taste, perfect for those postmodern listeners who enjoy the occasional foray into cognitive dissonance, or who like their joik served up with a pulsating techno beat.Highlights on this recording include the guest appearance of joik singer Inga Juuso, and the inclusion of Wimme's "hit," Texas, which was the subject of an NPR feature several years ago. "

Cugu is Wimme's third release on Minnesota's NorthSide label, which should be lauded for its efforts to bring Saami music into a broader market. On the other hand, it would be nice to see the company expand its catalog to include some of the other young artists from Saamiland—modern Saami music is not limited to techno, by any means, and it would benefit us all to learn more about Scandinavia's indigenous population.tc "Cugu is Wimme's third release on Minnesota's NorthSide label, which should be lauded for its efforts to bring Saami music into a broader market. On the other hand, it would be nice to see the company expand its catalog to include some of the other young artists from Saamiland—modern Saami music is not limited to techno, by any means, and it would benefit us all to learn more about Scandinavia's indigenous population."

Richard Jones-Bamman

Must by Harv (Daniel Sandén-Warg and Magnus Stinnerbom); NorthSide CD NSD6047

The only real test of how well a reviewer likes a work is whether s/he will continue to enjoy it. I will continue to listen to Must, the first offering by this powerful young Swedish folk duo. Must is one of the latest releases by the NorthSide label, whom one must cheer on, especially as this particular release represents for them a step toward the more traditional Swedish sound. One goal of NorthSide's founders is educating U.S. listeners "back" to appreciation of the tradition at the roots of the current nordic entries in the "World Music" free-for-all.)

To be sure, Magnus Stinnerbom is the newest member of Hedningarna; and to be sure, Daniel and Magnus are joined on a few tracks by Björn Tollin—Hedningarna's percussionist—and by Roger Tallroth, the guitarist in Väsen. To be sure, some of the tunes are composed by Magnus himself, and the duo's young (early 20's?) energy urges many tunes along with more drive than destination.

However, many of the tunes come directly from the Värmland and cross-border traditions championed by folk greats like Mats Edén, Mats Berglund, and Anders Norudde. Some of the pieces were learned from Magnus's father, including a couple of Norwegian folk tunes. Moreover, Harv's musicality, humor, and joy at experimentation are impossible to miss—downright infectious. They're both multi-instrumentalists: various types of violins and violas, willow flutes, an older form of nyckelharpa, and mouth harp all pass through their able hands. They are apt at choosing the right mix of instruments for the tunes, from the scrapiest quarter-tone polska on the mora-harpa to the gorgeous violin-viola harmonies on some of the slower marches (yes! there are a few slower tunes). And the great preponderance of instrumentality is "honest": aside from the few sampled bass lines added by Tollin, there are no appreciable electronic effects.

Must can be translated as "sap" or "pith"—the heart of the matter. (If we could just get NorthSide to include slightly more informative liner notes....) This recording does well as a snapshot of the current state of Swedish folk music: skillful, energetic, leaning heavily on the past, borrowing a little from popular culture, and looking toward the future.

—Peter Michaelsen

Byss-Calle by the Nyckelharpa Orchestra; NorthSide CD NSD6051

Like an addict, any music or dance enthusiast knows the need for music that touches the ear, the mind, the soul, and the feet. The Nyckelharpa Orchestra's newest CD fills each of these requirements, and also presents the historic musical repertoire of Carl Ersson Bössa, better known as Byss-Calle. He lived in Älvkarleby, Sweden over 200 years ago, in the realm of magic, spirits, and superstition. Today, we just call it Uppland.

Byss-Calle is well known in the nyckelharpa community through his namesake tune, "Byss-Calles Slängpolska." However, he played and wrote dozens of tunes throughout his life, all of which have long deserved to share the spotlight. Lucky for us, it was this group that decided to record them.

The Nyckelharpa Orchestra is made up of most of the world's best nyckelharpa players. A list of members reveals familiar names: Niklas Roswall, Markus Svensson, Olov Johansson, Ola Hertzberg, Johan Hedin, and Henrik Eriksson. They bring their own style and influence to the arrangements of the pieces. Each tune reflects both the history behind the melody as well as the musicians. The songs are very visual, painting pictures of life as Byss-Calle must have lived it. The feelings of the songs are so intense that they command full attention to listen and appreciate their depth. The rhythm is strong, and the sound is sweet. You might even want to cry.

If you're a fan of traditional nyckelharpa music, I guarantee that you'll enjoy this recording. The only thing that would improve it is if they had included a holographic concert. Maybe next time….

—Anna Abraham

Maria Kalaniemi and Sven Ahlbäck, Airbow. Northside NSD6058. With Johan Hedin (nyckelharpa) and Susanne Rosenberg (voice).

Karen Tweed and Timo Alakotila, May Monday. Northside NSD6059. With Roger Tallroth, Shanti Paul Jayasinha, Timo Myllykangas, Maria Kalaniemi, Mauno Järvelä, Matti Mäkelä, Helka Hakasalo, and Marion Göbel.

With all the band-swapping going on in Scandinavia and other northern parts these days, it's no surprise that these two pairs found each other after hours at festivals and started jamming. Scandophiles know Maria Kalaniemi as the Finnish accordion goddess, and Sven Ahlbäck as a strong Swedish fiddler. Karen Tweed is accordionist in Swåp, a Celtic/Nordic band, and Timo Alakotila provides the harmonium foundation for the Finnish fiddle powerhouse band JPP (though he plays only piano on this CD). Cross-fertilization of this type is always an intriguing idea, but the results in these two CDs are quite different.

Airbow creates fantasias from Scandinavian melodies, quickly departing from the tunes for elaborate improvisations, free rhythms, and complicated ornamentation. While the effect is of precision and great virtuosity, there's a certain distance and coolness that I react to as well—despite the intense reverb used. Many of Ahlbäck's solos are reminiscent of Hans Brimi's moody work, for example, but they seem more cerebral and classical.

The music is sometimes dissonant beyond the blue notes that we're used to, and it's even shrill in places (there's not much below middle C on either of these instruments). Since the guest players do not appear very often, the CD seems very much the same from cut to cut. "Sprakfålen" (the wild foal) and "Orpolasten polska" (the orphans' polska) are welcome exceptions to the introspective pattern—lively and rhythmic. While I'd regard this CD as a good source for obscure Finnish and Swedo-Finnish dance material, it's not something that I'd listen to more than a few times.

In contrast, May Monday takes a far warmer and more down-to-earth approach, sticking to the melodies for the most part and staying closer to the dance origins of the pieces. Tweed continues Swåp's creative arrangements of celtic and nordic material (often in the same cut—for example, Swedish schottisches and Irish hornpipes go together very well), and the duo make especially good use of the other players. Jayasinha is wonderful on flugelhorn (though they left in a couple of his nearly cracked notes); at one point he even imitates a cowhorn. Those who are used to the relatively static role of the harmonium in JPP will be pleasantly surprised to see how Timo's fingers can fly on the piano.

The duo's rendition of the well-known Boda polska "Jöns Lars fars" is particularly beautiful, even if it doesn't have the snappy syncopation dancers expect. And they manage to incorporate an 11/8 tune called "Melting" into a medley including a waltz and a jig as well—brave arranging indeed. There's some gentle jazz here and there, but folkies will find nothing objectionable or hard to listen to. Of the two, this is the one to buy.

—Anita Anderson