Juuri & Juuri

When violins first reached the shores of Finland via Sweden sometime during the 17th and 18th centuries, it seems that they jumped straight into the Perho River and swam upstream to the Central Ostrobothnian village of Kaustinen. The local playing tradition has remained unbroken ever since, with each village boasting its own unique playing style. Now the Kaustinen fiddle tradition has been nominated for inclusion in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

"If I had to choose one recording to preserve for the future or to send off to space in order to illustrate humankind’s history and humaneness, this album would get my vote."

"The genius is that Lajunen and Grundstrom interpret all this daringly and originally as a duo with their pelimanni instruments instead of the traditional way as solo with a kantele or jouhikko (aka bowed lyre)."