In 1983, a small group of pre-teen girls in Rääkkylä, in the Karelia region of Eastern Finland, started by sisters Sari and Mari Kaasinen and their mother Pirkko, began to recite and sing old Karelian traditional poetry and songs, accompanying themselves on kantele, the Finnish national zither-like instrument. What began as a hobby quickly became a mission: to revive forgotten traditional Karelian songs and to present them in new ways. The group soon became 21-strong with fifteen singers and six young players on accordion, saxophone, guitar, double bass, fiddle and flute. Seeking new ways of presentation, the singers developed a more aggressive and powerful vocal style; loud, almost shouting. This vocal/instrumental concept was provocative and new to folk music and to Finland and Värttinä rapidly gained national recognition.
Interest in Finland grew quickly over the next five years resulting in concert performances nationwide and two albums. The first album, entitled Värttinä, recorded in Rääkkylä, Karelia in April 1987 and released on their own label, comprised traditional Karelian songs arranged mostly by Sari Kaasinen. The arrangements and presentation were exuberant and provocative and after their breakthrough appearances at the Kaustinen Folk Music Festival the same year, where they were named “Band of the Year”, the album became a favourite in the domestic folk music scene with word of the band trickling up to mainstream audiences.
TRACKS
1.Ruskie neitsyt (Brown-haired Maiden)
2.Mainitus (Mainitus Dance)
3.Lehmän tanssi (Cow's Dance)
4.Miss' on miun armahin (Where Is My Beloved)
5.Mie tahon tasaista miestä (I Want A Steady Man)
6.Juhon kontra (Juho's Contradance)
7.Tutskovin polska (Tutskov's Polska)
8.Suojärven katrilli (Suojärvi Quadrille)
9.Karjalainen kehtolaulu (Lullaby from Karelia)
10.Varrii ompi zaijuvesj (The Tea-water is Hot)
11.Koiviston polska (Koivisto Polska)
12.Duetto (Duet)
13.Melkutus (Melkutus Dance)
14.Sade (Rain)
15.Tsiiputus (Tsiiputus Dance)
16.Sekatyylipolkka (Polka in Mixed Style)
17.Ompa tietty tietyssäni (I Am Thinking of A Particular One)
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