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Written in fRoots issue 333, 2011


VARIOUS ARTISTS
The Songs Of The Finnish Kaale
Pilfink JJVCD-76 (2009)

The swooping singing of the Kaale (Finnish Roma), largely minor-key, sometimes with a Phrygian cadence, is a distinctive and evolving aspect of the country’s traditions. This is a valuable new collection, 1995-2009 field recordings by Kai Åberg and Risto Blomster of eight singers, with guitar, keyboard or old-style unaccompanied; songs about love, freedom, horses, boasting, drink, prison.

www.pilfink.fi


© 2011 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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fRoots - The feature and review-packed UK-based monthly world roots music magazine in which these reviews were published, and by whose permission they're reproduced here.

Kansanmusiikki-instituutti (Finland's national Folk Music Institute).

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