HELSINKI, Finland – In addition to all of the opera, recitals, ballets and symphonies I gorged on during my two weeks in Scandinavia, I did happen upon my fair share of other types of music. Most of it was fairly unremarkable (think: cover bands), but in Helsinki – which, as I've mentioned, is one of the most musical cities I've ever encountered – I enjoyed a pair of notable experiences outside the concert hall.
The first I happened upon on a Monday night walking by the Black Door Public House, where what appeared to be a full-on seisún was taking place with fiddle players, flutists, guitarists and accordionists of all ages joining in. But, as I settled in with my pint, it soon became clear that this wasn't Irish music, but the traditional Finnish folk dance music known as Pelimanni, marked by it high, sawing strings and fast accordion work. In the back of the room, a half-dozen couples danced in a circle, twirling and jumping as they went. If I were uncharitable, I might say that the music may not have sounded much more sophisticated than your average Suzuki class, but the emotion and spirit were as real as anything Sibelius ever wrote.
Then, on my last night in town, I stopped by Juttutupa, the oldes continuously ly operating watering hole in Helsinki, where Lenin once plotted the Bolshevik Revolution. (They still have his table preserved in situ.) On Wednesday nights, the bar hosts a live jazz night, usually by Sibelius Academy students or other local music programs. On the night I was there, I heard a great trio backing a talented young singer, performing standards (in English, of course.) After, I spoke with the bassist, who was just starting his second year at the Sibelius Academy. He told me there's a pretty decent jazz scene in Finland, but he was looking forward to taking advantage of the school's exchange program, where he could study abroad for a year. I asked him if he'd thought about New York, and his eyes lit up. "I'd love to go to New York." I gave him my card, told him to look me up when he gets here. Good luck, kid.
More pics from the Pelimanni session here. More pics from jazz night at Juttutupa here.
