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Written in fRoots issue 201, 2000


KAUSTISEN PURPPURIPELIMANNIT
Santerin Kahvilassa
Kansanmusiikki-instituutti KICD 66 (1999)

PRUSIKOUKKU
Mahtava
Kansanmusiikki-instituutti KICD 67 (1999)

Named after the dance-sequence known as a “purppuri” (pot-pourri), Kaustinen’s Purppuripelimannit was formed to play for weddings in 1946. Originally a ten-piece, it soon reduced to the standard Ostrobothnian wedding-band line-up of two fiddles, harmonium and bass. One of those two fiddlers was Konsta Jylhä, and he, the tunes he wrote, and the band became extremely famous in Finland during the 50s and 60s.
      The band’s still playing well today, comprising three members who joined back in 1963, and one “newcomer” of 1974. In 1988, four years after Jylhä’s death, they recorded an album for the Olarin label of his compositions. Santerin Kahvilassa is that album, remastered and with the addition of three tracks recorded at the same sessions in the village of Salonkylä. (It’s a pity that one of the three, with a couple of passing moments of dicey intonation - perhaps the reason for its non-selection for the original release - has been placed here as track one.)
      It’s not flashy, but this lilting, simple-sounding music, mainly waltzes and sotiisis (schottisches) with the occasional polska and polkka is the continuing warm heart-sound of the Kaustinen area.

      The tradition continues to develop, not just in the swingy complexities of today’s most famous band JPP but in the local pop and rock music. First of the new wave in town - well, in village - were Folkkarit (also with a new album, not yet sent for review) and now Prusikoukku (named after a bend in the local river, and originally Prusikoukku Sound Machine), who have developed in the past few years from deliverers of informally amiable and humorous largely acoustic thrash in Pelimanni bar to a substantial instrumental rock band which, after some ups and downs live, has now delivered an impressive album full of energy, lift and dry wit.
      The more hefty the band becomes the more melodic and ingenious are its tunes, largely by fiddler and bouzouki player Ville Kangas, some co-written with guitarist Ville Kivioja, and a couple by bassist Jussi Petäjä. A frequent member of the larger, back home version of JPP, Kangas in particular is fast emerging as one of the most flexibly able musicians of Finland’s new generation, with quirky ideas in both traditional and pop directions and soaring playing by turns abrasive and sweet, with a wild electric edge.
      Provided it can deliver live at this level Prusikoukku, in parallel with Folkkarit, follows Purppuripelimannit and JPP in making another significant step forward for the Kaustinen tradition.


© 1999 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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