Tango-orkesteri Unto / Tango Orchestra Unto

Tango-orkesteri Unto / Tango Orchestra Unto
Tango-orkesteri Unto, photo: Johanna Tirronen
Tango-orkesteri Unto, photo: Johanna Tirronen
Tango-orkesteri Unto, photo: Johanna Tirronen, Cold Love-Finnish Tango Vol II (ARC 2010)

Songs

comp. Jussi Tuurna, lyrics Eppu Nuotio (Cold Love, Finnish Tango Vol II, ARC 2010)
These are just preview samples. You need a valid account and be logged in to hear the full tracks.

Videos

lyrics Nuotio, comp. Tuurna; Video by Heini Mäntylä & Daniel Sykes
These are just preview samples. You need a valid account and be logged in to watch the full clips.
  • country:Finland
  • style(s):Tango, Tango Nuevo
  • label:ARC Music
  • gender:male, female
  • instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
  • artist posted by:Tango-Orkesteri Unto

Line up

  • Hannu Rantanen (double bass)
  • Johanna Juhola (accordion)
  • Mauno Järvelä (violin)
  • Petri Hakala (guitar)
  • Pirjo Aittomäki (vocals)
  • Timo Alakotila (piano)

Links

The key incredients of the Finnish tango are longing and passion. Tango-orkesteri Unto´s music is firmly rooted in both. The six virtuosos led by pianist-arranger Timo Alakotila play freshly nuanced renditions of the genre´s classics as well as powerful original material spiced up with tango nuevo, jazz and folk music flavors. The varied musical backgrounds of Unto´s musicians - from world music and jazz to theatre music and tango nuevo – imprint their music with a wealth of influences, freedom of playing and depth of interpretation. Tango-orkesteri Unto´s music breaths and flows with exceptional freedom.

The key incredients of the Finnish tango are longing and passion. Tango-orkesteri Untos music is firmly rooted in both. The six virtuosos led by pianist-arranger Timo Alakotila salute the classic Finnish tango repertoire with their freshly nuanced and powerful renditions of works by Unto Mononen and Toivo Kärki, the most prominent composers of the genre. The varied musical backgrounds of Untos musicians - from world music and jazz to theatre music and tango nuevo – imprint their music with a wealth of influences, freedom of playing and depth of interpretation. Untos music breaths and flows with exceptional freedom.

Tango Orchestra Unto, named after the great Unto Mononen, was founded in 1998 at the initiative of the Finnish Performing Music Promotion Centre to promote Finnish tango at EXPO98 in Lisbon. Since then, the band has performed mainly abroad, with a warm reception from the audiences and the press alike. The successes in recent years include sold out concerts in Vienna at the Jeunesse Festival (2009) and FolkBaltica Festival in Germany (2007). In July 2009 the band performed at the City of London Festival at an event dedicated to the Finnish tango. In 2011 their international success continued in Stockholm and Frankfurt.

On their first album, Finnish Tango, released by ARC Music in 2003, Tango-orkesteri Unto interpretes a fine selection of the most loved Finnish tangos. On their new album, "Kylmä rakkaus - Cold Love", Finnish Tango vol. II (ARC), the band again explores the evergreen tangos but also introduces original material written to Finnish poetry by Timo Alakotila and Johanna Juhola as well as significant Finnish songwriters like Anna-Mari Kähärä and Jussi Tuurna.

Finnish tango is alive and well in the hands of Tango-orkesteri Unto!

The members of Tango-orkesteri Unto are all prominent figures in the Finnish world music and jazz scenes and have played with f.ex. Värttinä, JPP, Troka, How Many Sisters, Duo Johanna Juhola - Milla Viljamaa, Spontaani Vire, UMO Jazz Orchestra, Raoul Björkenheim, Pepa Päivinen, Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz among others.