Finnishing up 2011 with Jonathan Rundman and Sarah Pajunen's "Kaivama"

I've been a fan of Jonathan Rundman's music since a double dose of review discs landed on my desk over at HickoryWind.  Jonathan's previous albums were filled with hooked filled gems, more power-pop and rock than Americana or roots.  On their self-titled disc Kaivama (Salt Lady Music, 2011), Jonathan and Sarah team up to shift gears and explore their shared Finnish heritage. The album's title is derived from the Finnish word kaiva meaning to delve or to dig  and when they dig they hit roots, Finnish roots.  The fourteen  instrumental tracks are a mix of new songs authored by the artists and older traditional Finnish folk tunes. Kaivama  highlights Sarah's skillful fiddle playing and the multi-talented Jonathan adds guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonium, organ and piano. Polished yet rustic, subdued but powerful this truly is roots music with the ability to transport the listener to another continent and another time. If  you'd like to know more  an interesting interview with Jonathan was published in, appropriately enough,  The Mining Journal.

And with that I'm finished with my last disc of 2011!   

Richard Thompson : Morris On    ::    Jonathan Rundman and Sarah Pajunen : Kaivama. 

Sarah Pajunen and Jonathan Rundman
Finnish-American excavators

Originally published on NoDepression.