Polenta - three fiddles and a guitar
We are Mikko, Aino, Olli and Veera. Our band Polenta is a fiddle band from Finland and we play fresh Nordic folk music with instrumentation of three fiddles and a guitar.
Pelimanni music in our hearts
The roots of Polenta’s music are in the fabled center point of Finnish folk music - Kaustinen! Polenta comes tumbling down the hill of Pelimannitalo, takes a spin at the Penttilä bridge, gets all twirled up in fiddle wizardry until it finally surrenders to the simple sweaty stomping of a polka.
Polenta's first album is freshly arranged traditional fiddle music from Kaustinen, with some added spice from an acoustic guitar. Polenta is finely balancing on the border between old and new, molding traditional tunes into new, energetic versions, while maintaining the danceability and spirit of the original material.
Polenta’s aim is to wrap up traditional tunes into an easily approachable but detailed package, reminding everyone that nordic folk music is not only stunningly joyful, but also a relevant art form in the 2020s!
Second album in the oven
As versatile musicians who happen to enjoy the energy and togetherness of old traditional playing, we also compose and play our original tunes. We are working on our second album that will be published to the crowd on 2024. The album shows us as composers of modern folk music and showcases the versatility of Finnish traditions.
Even though our music changes and renews itself, the emotional bond and danceability as well as the playing style of traditional music still remain strong. With the album, we want to be part of the continuum of the Finnish folk music tradition by recording today's tradition in the form of a physical disc. We try to capture on the record the joy of playing together, the contact between the performers and the emotional rush of a live concert.
For many, the first thought of the word polenta is not about an energetic ensemble of four, but more about a traditional Italian dish. However, the Finnish word polenta means 'a stomp' usually reminding of dancing and grooving to the music. That is our goal and aspiration; to make music and enjoy so much you cannot but to stomp!
