Suon sylissä – the concert takes you on a journey through delightful, funny, and strange encounters with nature, combined with the world of scientific observation. Packed in the suitcase of the band Juurakko and marine biologist–sound designer Myyri Sysivesi are rich, multi-voiced blues singing, the gritty tones of a kantele echoing deep in the delta, storytelling, and a variety of everyday objects elevated to the status of instruments.
The concert brings the wisdom of folk tales to life in a contemporary, immersive, and thought-provoking form. Juurakko, who grinds out roots music with a fresh skiffle attitude, has chosen songs that explore the protection of waterways, climate change, and human activity across diverse landscapes—as an inseparable part of nature. The stories in the songs travel from the archipelagos of the Gulf of Finland through the rapids of Central Finland to the plains of Ostrobothnia and all the way to Lapland at the foot of the fells. The raw Juurakko blues draws listeners deep into the marsh and makes them dance lightly on a ship’s deck.
Laura Kaartinen – vocals, travel harmonium, percussion
Eija Kankaanranta – kanteles
Kaisa Saarikorpi – vocals, cigar box instruments, guitars, banjo, percussion
Minsku Tammela – vocals, jouhikko, comb, jaw harp, percussion
Anna Wiksten – vocals, plank, percussion
The scientific perspective of the concert is created by biologist, research diver, and sound engineer Myyri Sysivesi.
Organizer: Cultural Services of the City of Porvoo
