SUO
(The Marshland)

The music of Suo digs deep down into the landscape of archaic Finnish runosinging: the rich language of kalevala poetry, the fascinating myths and spells, the ageless flow of kantele and jouhikko music.

Interpreted by this skillful trio, the forgotten music becomes alive once more and gets injected straight into your spine: the energetic guitar of Roope Aarnio, the nimble fiddle of Emilia Lajunen and powerful voice of Veera Voima will take you on an unforgettable journey.

The other elements adding to the unique sound of Suo are medieval nyckelharpa, 15-string kantele, shaman drum, overtone flute, and rich 3-voice harmonies.

Copyright Suo & Wilma Hurskainen

LISTEN

1. Ohtoseni
- Spell for the Bear
comp. VV, RA
arr. Suo, lyr. trad.

2. Muistan
- Birth of the World
comp. VV, RA
arr. Suo
lyr. trad
bass Pekka Lehti

3. Metsän tyttö
- Prayer to the Goddess of the Forest
comp. VV
arr. Suo
lyr. trad
bass Pekka Lehti

GIGS year 2008

February 16th, 26th and 27th little tour Hippalot in Joensuu, Helsinki with Perinnearkku ry and Ilola, Savonlinna. Organized by Central Committee of Folk Music and Dance.

May 27th Finnish Nature Preserving association 70 years in House of the Estates.

June 26th Suo travels northest ever, to Lapland to Kurtakon Kulttuuriviikot. Besides playing, we also teach there for half a week.

July 15th-17th Kaustinen Folk Music Festival.

July 29th Chamber Music by Lake Tuusula, we play live concert to the Kansanluonto-document, that was ordered specially for last years independence festivities - Finn-maiden became 90 years old. Erkkolan talossa Kansanluonto-dokumentti livekonserttina.

September 17th Viro, Matsalu: Nature Film Festival, Kansanluonto-document with live concert.

October 16th Private concert in Kalastajatorppa.

October 30th about 9 pm in Cafée Taikalamppu in Kallio, Helsinki. New material for small audience (it´s a very small and atmospheric place...).

November 28th Grandi, Porvoo, Kansanluonto concert.

GIGS year 2009

31.1. at 19 hours Kerava Literature happening Juuret - Roots in Kerava Library, Pentinkulman sali.
8.2. Minä olen -fair in Dipoli, Espoo.
14.-17.5. Kansanluonto in Tartto and Tallin, Estonia.

NEWS, OLDIES

Nov. 15th our fiddler Emilia won 2nd. prize in the scandinavian folk music competition Nord 2008 in Sälen, Sweden. She played her own composition of polska and old style improvisations based on ancient kantele tunes. Congratulations!

Lots of plans for the next year: Suo is now making new material for our second CD (Texicalli Records). The release and a promotion tour is planned to occur in the late spring 2009. Suo and DocArt are also organizing a tour in Finland and Estonia with the document Kansanluonto for the next year. There are also plans to tour in Switzerland the fall 2009.

December 26th at 18.20 in TV 1 a document Kansanluonto of the Finnish nature. The movie celebrates Finland´s 90th birthday, and was ordered by Ministry of Environmnet and Finnish Nature Center. Music by Suo and Veera Voima.

On November 26th the first CD by Suo "Ei päivien perijätä" (The death of Shaman) was finally released! Purchase from: www.texicalli.net and www.jukeboxshop.net

Suo won first prize (together with a swedish group Kraja) in Etnoviisu competition in Kihaus, Rääkkylä on July 7th 2007.