PANCORDIA - the two-fisted accordion weblog
Maria Kalaniemi - Ahma

Ahma is a 1998 album recorded by Finland's Maria Kalaniemi with her band, Aldargaz. Like much eclectic, modern music, it's a bit tricky to describe exactly, but I'll generalize it as Finnish folk refined to a chamber music level. M.K.'s 5-row chromatic playing is superb throughout, full of exotic/chromatic knot twisting. Some of the other musicians occasionally get a bit too new-age tinkly for my cranky taste, but the accordion work always makes up for it. Also listen for a tango (Los Mareados) and a very fine piece (Lovina) with just accordion and a small string section, quartet or quintet, perhaps.

Posted by M.Ace at 06:59 PM, January 30, 2003