Jouhikko

Finnish music fans around the world know Logrén as the fiddle player in the legendary band Värttinä. What they might not know is that Logrén has played the Finnish bowed lyre, the jouhikko, since he was 12, and now he’s released his first album of his own compositions (16 tracks) exploring the character and sounds of this ancient three-string horsehair instrument. Logrén’s career with Värttinä has taken him to some of the biggest stages and festivals around the world but here on Jouhikko he captures perfectly the intimacy of this ancient instrument. There are many gentle dance-like melodies alongside tunes that capture the earthiness of the jouhikko such as ‘Wildwood’, or its mystery in the haunting ‘Elegy’ and there’s the swing of the bluesy ‘Oscarsborg’ and reflective, hymn-like ‘Jag Hör Harpan’. This is an inspiring celebration of the jouhikko from someone who knows how to make it dance and sing.