JPP
Encyclopedia
JPP is a group of Finnish
folk musicians, mainly fiddle
rs, hailing from Kaustinen
. The name originally meant Järvelän Pikkupelimannit, the small fiddlers of Järvelä, but today the group only uses the abbreviation JPP. The group still uses the Kaustinen traditional settings with fiddles, harmonium
and double bass
, although their arrangements are more advanced than earlier generations of traditional musicians in the area used. The group's repertoire consists of traditional tunes as well as newly written items in the old style dance rhythms - polskas, waltz
es, schottische
s etc. - but also some Finnish style tangos
, and you can hear some jazz
and bluegrass
influences as well. The main part of the group's own compositions and arrangements are made by the group members Arto Järvelä
and Timo Alakotila
.
The brothers Jouni and Arto Järvelä are the fourth generation of folk musicians (in Finnish pelimanni), and JPP did originally come by as a part of the group Järvelän Pelimannit that mainly consisted of the older musicians of the village Järvelä. JPP developed the tradition further by their arrangements and by, inspired by another of the local folk music groups, playing not only the local tunes but also those from other parts of the country. Most of the members have studied at the Sibelius-Akatemia university of music, mainly at the folk music department.
For many years the band consisted of Jouni and Arto Järvelä, their uncle Mauno Järvelä
, Jarmo and Juha Varila on fiddle, Timo Alakotila on harmonium and Janne Virkkala on double bass. Later Jouni Järvelä and the Varila brothers were replaced by Matti Mäkelä
och Tommi Pyykönen, first at tours and later also at recordings. Timo Myllykangas was the group's bass player for some time, now replaced by Antti Järvelä. The group does not make as many records today as they did in the 90s, but the group still tours both in Europe and to North America, mainly to folk music/world music
festivals.
Besides JPP, the members have several other projects. Especially Arto Järvelä and Tima Alakotila are involved in many other groups, both pure folk music and fusions with other styles. Mauno Järvelä used to play in symphony orchestra, and is currently very active as a teacher in violin
and pelimanni music. His method of teaching children to play violin, related to the Suzuki method
, is widely nicknamed the sisuki method.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
folk musicians, mainly fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
rs, hailing from Kaustinen
Kaustinen
Kaustinen is a municipality of Finland.It is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water...
. The name originally meant Järvelän Pikkupelimannit, the small fiddlers of Järvelä, but today the group only uses the abbreviation JPP. The group still uses the Kaustinen traditional settings with fiddles, harmonium
Harmonium
A harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
and double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, although their arrangements are more advanced than earlier generations of traditional musicians in the area used. The group's repertoire consists of traditional tunes as well as newly written items in the old style dance rhythms - polskas, waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...
es, schottische
Schottische
The schottische is a partnered country dance, that apparently originated in Bohemia. It was popular in Victorian era ballrooms as a part of the Bohemian folk-dance craze and left its traces in folk music of countries such as Argentina , Finland , France, Italy, Norway , Portugal and Brazil , Spain ...
s etc. - but also some Finnish style tangos
Tango music
Tango is a style of ballroom dance music in 2/4 or 4/4 time that originated among European immigrant populations of Argentina and Uruguay . It is traditionally played by a sextet, known as the orquesta típica, which includes two violins, piano, double bass, and two bandoneons...
, and you can hear some jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
influences as well. The main part of the group's own compositions and arrangements are made by the group members Arto Järvelä
Arto Järvelä
Arto Järvelä is a Finnish fiddler and composer. Because of the many groups and projects he is involved in, he has been called "the busiest man in Finnish folk music". He is primarily a violinist, but among other instruments of his are nyckelharpa, mandolin and kantele...
and Timo Alakotila
Timo Alakotila
Timo Alakotila is a Finnish composer, arranger, and musician born July 15, 1959.Timo Alakotila's range of music styles stretches from Finnish folk music of the pelimanni style over some jazz influences to more or less Finnish style tangos, and with some extensions to classical music...
.
The brothers Jouni and Arto Järvelä are the fourth generation of folk musicians (in Finnish pelimanni), and JPP did originally come by as a part of the group Järvelän Pelimannit that mainly consisted of the older musicians of the village Järvelä. JPP developed the tradition further by their arrangements and by, inspired by another of the local folk music groups, playing not only the local tunes but also those from other parts of the country. Most of the members have studied at the Sibelius-Akatemia university of music, mainly at the folk music department.
For many years the band consisted of Jouni and Arto Järvelä, their uncle Mauno Järvelä
Mauno Järvelä
Mauno Järvelä is a Finnish fiddler, violinist and music pedagogue. He is the uncle of Arto Järvelä, and both of them are members in the successful folk music group JPP, whose roots are the pelimanni tradition from Kaustinen...
, Jarmo and Juha Varila on fiddle, Timo Alakotila on harmonium and Janne Virkkala on double bass. Later Jouni Järvelä and the Varila brothers were replaced by Matti Mäkelä
Matti Mäkelä
-References:...
och Tommi Pyykönen, first at tours and later also at recordings. Timo Myllykangas was the group's bass player for some time, now replaced by Antti Järvelä. The group does not make as many records today as they did in the 90s, but the group still tours both in Europe and to North America, mainly to folk music/world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
festivals.
Besides JPP, the members have several other projects. Especially Arto Järvelä and Tima Alakotila are involved in many other groups, both pure folk music and fusions with other styles. Mauno Järvelä used to play in symphony orchestra, and is currently very active as a teacher in violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
and pelimanni music. His method of teaching children to play violin, related to the Suzuki method
Suzuki method
The Suzuki method is a method of teaching music that emerged in the mid-20th century.-Background:The Suzuki Method was conceived in the mid-20th century by Shin'ichi Suzuki, a Japanese violinist who desired to bring beauty to the lives of children in his country after the devastation of World War II...
, is widely nicknamed the sisuki method.
Records
- Järvelän Pikkupelemannit, 1983 (EP)
- Laitisen Mankeliska, 1986
- JPP, 1988 (double LP)
- I've Found a New Tango, 1990
- Pirun Polska/Devil's polska, 1992
- Kaustinen Rhapsody, 1994
- String Tease, 1998
- History, 1999 (compilation)
- Huutokatrilli!, 2001 (mini-CD with dance music)
- Artology, 2006