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Matti Kallio joins Värttinä
Accordionist and keyboard player Matti Kallio joins Värttinä as violinist Lassi Logren and Antto Varilo depart. Matti has worked with Värttinä as a substitute accordionist in several concerts in past years. He is a well known musician having played and performed with artists such as Vesa-Matti Loiri as well as composed or arranged music for Rajaton and Club for Five.
Värttinä 25 - Songlines Top of the World
In the June/July issue of UK's Songlines magazine, Värttinä's 25 compilation album is a featured album in the Top of the World section of choice albums of the month. The free CD that accompanies the magazine will feature the song "Maahinen Neito" from the albums 25 and iki.
Line-up change
As of January 2009, there will be a change in the Värttinä line-up.
Värttinä strips down to a six-piece:
Susan Aho
Mari Kaasinen
Johanna Virtanen
Lassi Logren
Hannu Rantanen
Toni Porthen
Janne Lappalainen, Antto Varilo and Markku Lepistö will depart the band to pursue new and existing musical ventures.
The nine-piece Värttinä band will continue through the remainder of 2008 for the concerts currently booked.
The new six-piece band are now making plans for 2010 activities, including their new live concert presentation and their next album.
New edition of Värttinä book
"Värttinä – Mierontiella ja punaisella matolla", is the newly revised, expanded and updated 2008 edition of the Värttinä book, "Korkeelta ja kovvoo" (2001). It is published by LIKE Publishing company of Finland on October 25. Original author Kimmo Nevalainen has written the new edition, bringing the account of the Värttinä story to the present day.
The Finnish release event in Helsinki is planned for October 28th at Tavastia club.
An English language version by JimThompson is also being planned for 2009 publication.
25th Anniversary compilation album
2008 will mark Värttinä's 25th year as a band. On Sept 26, Sony BMG Finland releases the first Finnish Värttinä compilation album entitled “25”, celebrating 25 years (1983-2008) of Värttinä. The CD, made with full co-operation of the band, includes twenty-two tracks taken from all their eleven albums and the Archive Live DVD plus an unreleased song “Vipinäveet” recorded during the sessions of their latest 2006 studio album Miero. The “25” album also features lyrics, fotos from their entire career and deluxe, four-color, digipak design with 24 page booklet. This album will be released only in Finland, at least for 2007, and can be pre-ordered from the Värttinä shop.
Midem
Värttinä enjoyed a very successful performance at Midem convention in Cannes on January 22 on the main stage, Ambassadeur Hall, as part of Finnish Opening Night which also featured Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen Kluster and Apocalyptica. Värttinä performed four songs from the new album Miero (Real World) with the show's climax being the explosive song "Riena", Miero´s lead-off track. No men were spared from their fiery tongue-lashing! The 1000 strong crowd was cheering with excitement as the band left the stage. After the show and throughout the next three Midem days, ecstatic responses to the concert flooded the Finnish stand. Värttinä missed all the praise as they flew immediately back to Toronto to continue rehearsals for The Lord of the Rings stage adaptation.
See Midem fotos by Ilpo Musto in the Photo Gallery
Ho Orchestra concerts and album
The Ho Orchestra plays in Switzerland: 11.1. Basel, 12.1. Bern, 14.1. Zürich, 15.1. Lucerne, 16.1. Adelboden. Ho Orchestra features guest vocalists Susan Aho, Mari Kaasinen and Johanna Virtanen. 13th of January sees the release of the live CD of the Ho Orchestra entitled "A normal Sunday" recorded in
February 2005 in Basel. It includes two songs by Värttinä and one by Markku Lepistö, as well as contributions by Simon Ho and the Nits.
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