Videos
from the album 'Hetkessä' (Ääniä Records 2019)
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- country:Finland
- style(s):Folk, Contemporary
- label:Ääniä Records
- type:Solo
- gender:female
- instrumentation:instrumental
- artist posted by:Haapavesi Folk ry
Line up
- Teija Niku (accordion, vocals)
Links
Teija Niku is a Finnish accordionist, known for her expertise in Nordic and Balkan folk music. She has been described as a composer with an excellent sense of melody as well as inventive arranger, and her lyrical style of playing the accordion transcends technical accomplishment or pose.
Niku's previous solo albums, Memento (self-release 2017) and Finsko Pajdusko (Rockadillo Records 2011), both made it to the list of The Best Albums of the Year on Finland's largest newspaper Helsingin Sanomat and latter mentioned was also nominated the Ethno Album of the Year in Finland’s version of the Grammys (Emma Gaala). Niku is also known for the bands Polka Chicks and Karuna as well as Teija Niku & Grupa Balkan, which also won the respected Konsta Jylhä Competition in 2012. In the past years Niku has diligently performed in the USA with duo Aallotar, combining Finnish and Finnish-American tradition, and started a new Teija Niku Kvartetti, which performs music from the Memento album with jazz influences.
In the summer of 2019 Ääniä Records released Niku's third solo album Hetkessä, which introduces the artist literally solo. Wide range of registers as well as dynamic and technical possibilities of the accordion, together with in-the-moment improvisations, have been the basis for new music, which is entirely composed, arranged and recorded by Niku herself.
"The entirety of Hetkessä is never forced or pyrotechnic, but relies on thoughtful contemplation and gracefulness to achieve its goal of bringing the listener into the studio with her, and keeping that listener in the moment." - Cliff Furnald, RootsWorld