Exposé Online banner

Exposé Online

Not just outside the box, but denying the existence of boxes.
Covering music from the fringes since 1993.

Reviews

JPP — String Tease
(NorthSide NSD6020, 1998, CD)

by Peter Thelen, Published 1999-01-01

String Tease Cover art

JPP is short for Järvelän Pikkupelimannit (translated: Little Folk Musicians of Järvelä, the village in Finland where this six-piece of four violins, harmonium and string bass got their start back in the early 80s). This is the band's sixth album, the third to be released in the states and their first in over four years. You gotta love fiddles to appreciate this group, as every number herein—a combination of originals and traditional tunes—is arranged for this amazing wall of fiddles that swoops and soars and drives every melody. There are no vocals, and one might at times be remided of the traditional fiddle music of Appalachia, though the primary influences here are drawn from a variety of Finnish and Swedish folk traditions. While over the long haul the arrangements are quite predictable, the variety in the songs themselves is wide enough to keep the album interesting from beginning to end. The playing is extremely tight, and they are joined by members of Väsen on a couple pieces, as well as their own  seven-piece auxiliary JPP String Orchestra (i.e.— seven more fiddles). Overall, a very fun release that most should enjoy.

Filed under: New releases, Issue 16, 1998 releases

Related artist(s): JPP

 

What's new

These are the most recent changes made to artists, releases, and articles.