This past year I had the great joy and wonder of teaching the 5-string kantele to thirty students that ranged in age from 5 years old to 81 in the town of Cokato, Minnesota. I came to them as a recipient of a grant written together with the New Bohemian Arts Cooperative and funded by the Minnesota State Arts Board from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. As a performer of ethnic music for many years I have had numerous opportunities to share the music of Finland and to teach the kantele, but never for an extended period of time. It had always been a dream of mine to find a teaching experience where I could join a Finnish-American community for more than a weekend and make some music together.

The city of Cokato, Minnesota is a small community of just under 3000. Its primary influx of immigrants came from Finland and Sweden. And it is one of the oldest Finnish immigrant communities in the state. The first Finnish settlers arrived in 1865. Today twenty-five percent of Cokato’s population is of Finnish descent and it is still regarded as a Finnish community.

In September I arrived in Cokato with 15 kanteles made by Gerry Henkel for the Cokato Finnish-American Historical Society to keep as an instrument lending library. Classes began that month and ran though May. We played inside the city hall, the town library, the local museum, the township hall and the old school house. And our final concert was held at the Dassel Historical Society.

In the Kalevala, Finland’s folk epic poem, there is a time when Väinämöinen who is the great sage, great singer of songs sits down on a singing stone with his 5-string kantele for the first time and plays. The music is beautiful, mysterious, haunting and full of joy.

Listening to my students play Kalevala melodies and Christmas carols and advance to more complex tunes as well as creating new melodies was also mysterious and full of joy. Music has that quality of wonder about it that evades description. I was grateful to discover that my students also wanted to share that wonder and played their new musicfor family, friends, church gatherings and holidays.

It was a pure pleasure being able to share the strange beauty of the kantele with my students. They in turn delivered back to me all the mystery and delicacy of its song that drew me to this instrument so long ago. Our many and different choirs of strings rang inside our bones and lifted up as only music can when played with others.

When you are learning something, anything new—there is that kind of fear mixed with hope, shyness with exhilaration—it is a kind of journeywork, a kind of pilgrimage.

I watched as my adult students came to class eager to play, to offer humor, ideas, innovation and whole-hearted curiosity. One student built this own 5-string and is soon to build another. The same student said he could not make the final concert—perhaps thinking he was not ready or a bit shy—but he came and played two solos for an audience of over two hundred people. Several of these students had no musical background, but seem to find a new connection with the sheer power of making song.

I asked my younger students what they thought the kantele sounded like. They scribbled countless ideas on the chalkboard. Here are a few things they said: someone singing, funny, ice cream, bells, soft, cuckoo clock, great, Bobby McFerrin, owl, harp, chimes, good, magic, loveable music.

My vision as a musician has always been to be a tradition bearer of my ancestry and to always seek curious wonder and joy.
I never was able to get to all the students signed up on the waiting list. We ran out of instruments. But those generous people of Cokato who did join me throughout the year, helped us share a common thread of ancestry and made music ring inside all of us. It was delightful, humorous, haunting–and enchanted. And I thank them for the opportunity.

First published in the New World Finn, Summer 2011.

Diane Jarvenpa Narrates new Finnish film on immigration

Some We Kept; Some We Threw Back (2010), by Minna Rainio and Mark Roberts, depicts a man in contemporary times, making preparations for a sauna in the north woods of Minnesota.

As he chops wood, pumps water and lights the sauna fire – a woman narrates a series of experiences from her childhood when she and her parents left Finland for America.

Some We Kept; Some We Threw Back creates powerful parallels with the refugee’s stories of Angles of Incidence – the female voice describes the reasons her family left her home country: famine, unemployment, political persecution, and reveals the negative receptions they received as part of a new immigrant community.

by Diane Jarvenpa

“An uncanny northern magic flows from the pages of The Tender Wild Things, at once earthy, celestial, and deeply mythic. Diane Jarvenpa’s book is, to quote one of her poems, “a giant humidor of words and images.” Ah, but what words, what images! These wonderful poems, musical to their core, drive unerringly toward the higher intensities of incantation and spell.” -Thomas R. Smith, author of Waking Before Dawn

“From the first lines of The Tender Wild Things, you’ll know you’re in the hands of a master chanteuse and poet. Among the most magnificent of these poems about family and place are those written to the mother, whose bonds to the poet are made of light and song, tradition and language. That the women share a Finnish heritage, that their paths often led through woods, gives the poems flavor and a particularity; that they sing from the heart makes the poems into the “small planets” we all live on. Reading… Wild Things is experiencing that sweet delight in finding another book to fall in love with.” -Sharon Chmielarz, The Rhubarb King

“An uncanny northern magic flows from the pages of The Tender Wild Things, at once earthy, celestial, and deeply mythic. Diane Jarvenpa’s book is, to quote one of her poems, “a giant humidor of words and images.” Ah, but what words, what images! These wonderful poems, zrvation rendered in the stunning language and virtuosic metaphor of a consummate poet… This is a wonderful book and a gorgeous journey not to be missed.” -Lee Ann Roripaugh, author of Year of the Snake

Contact Diane for Readings

Published in The Finnish American Reporter March, 1999

I suppose it’s not surprising that the Twin Cities should become one of North America’s centers for music based on, or influenced by Nordic folk traditions.

A prime example is Diane Jarvi, the poet, singer, and kantele player, who has just released her third CD, “Flying Into Blue,” (Lupine Records LR 1005). In this recording, Diane explores the territories of lullabies and lyric poetry, and adds some original material in the same vein. For the most part, this is a quiet, gentle mixture, and Diane’s voice is, as always, a lovely, evocative instrument. The singing is complemented by tasteful guitar playing from the incredible Dean Magraw, a bit of accordion here and there from Dan Newton, some concert harp from Sunita Staneslow, a touch of mysterious percussion by Marc Anderson, tin whistle and flute from Laura MacKenzie, and Gordy Johnson’s bass and keyboards.

Following the lullaby strand of the recording, one finds the lovely Yiddish cradle song, “Raisins and Almonds” (which always stimulates my tear ducts), “Arullo” from Mexico, the Irish “Mullach A’ Tsi,” and our own American “All the Pretty Little Horses.” On the Finno-Ugric side, Diane sings Finnish, Ingrian, and Karelian lullabies, and a Sami joik by Nils-Aslak Valkeapaa. I am particularly taken by the Ingrian “Uni Tulee,” which Diane accompanies with 5-string kantele, and which has just a wisp of percussion to it. The Finnish “As Tuuti Lasta” is a lullaby, and is sung quietly, but with a driving urgency provided by accordion and guitar.

The poetry thread in this CD includes sung versions of poems by Christina Rosetti, John Keats, Emily dickinson, and Edgar Allen Poe. I especially like Diane’s singing of Poe’s “The Bells,” which was set to music by the late ’60′s folk singer, Phil Ochs. Diane’s finger-picked guitar evokes some of the old “folkie” feeling. Johnson’s bass keeps the time, and Dean Magraw produces some sort of guitar-synthesizer magic that sounds like distant bells that are not struck, but perhaps stroked. Beautiful stuff.

“Flying into Blue” is somewhat different from Diane’s previous recordings in terms of content, but as far as style and spirit go, it is pure Diane Jarvi—musically lovely, exquisitely produced, and poetic in spirit. I think that those who get this CD will be pleased.

Published in Ilta-Sanomat July 3, 1997

Diane Jarvi is Perhaps More Finnish Than She Knows

A voice that bewitchingly moves from dark to light reaches for the works of Satumaa. The accent reveals immediately that Finnish is not the singer’s native language.

And yet the interpretation is as strong as a deep, still pool. Third generation Finnish-American Diane Jarvi seems to be reaching for something extremely fundamental from the land of her forefathers.

While talking to her something surprising creeps into the mind of the listener: Diane Jarvi really is not aware of how many kantele strings in the souls of the people of Finland she is able to touch with her interpretation. Like a shaman drummer from Lapland she is a mixture of the familiar and the unknown; somehow exotic and yet at the same time springing from the common roots deep within us.

The mere use of vibrato separates her from traditional Finnish music. The quick vibrating swing of the voice is familiar mainly to songs from American folk music sung by female Native American singers.

On the other hand Diane Jarvi is genetically one hundred percent a Finn. Her real name is Jarvenpa, in other words a Yankee version of Järvenpää. As a full-blooded third generation Finn she is already quite a rarity in a country where people typically describe themselves as, for example, a “Scotch/Finnish/Indonesian/Cherokee”

“Sure I understand a little Finnish, that is after I’ve been here a few more years,” Diane quips in English.

Jarvi arrived yesterday for a three-week tour, at which time she can be heard among other places at the Rovaniemi Roots’n River- festival, in Haapavesi, Oulu, and at Kaustinen. She is not yet sure about Helsinki gigs, which may turn up after the tour.

By Ted Heinonen · New World Finn · August 2004

Paper Heart Glows With A Warm Inner Light

Paper Heart is the fourth solo album by Minnesota’s premier singer/song writer Diane Jarvi. Co-produced by Diane and recorded at Matthew Zimmerman’s “Wild Sound” in Minneapolis, Minnesota, it is her 3rd recording project under Matthew’s care. She is competently accompanied by a wonderful group of musicians—the best the Twin Cities area can offer—with Gordy Johnson on bass, Marc Anderson on percussion, Dean Magraw on guitar, Brian Barnes on guitar and mandolin, Dan Newton on accordion, and Clint Hoover on harmonica.

It’s hard to know where to start but suffice to say this album is a gem—it is like finding a wet agate on Superior’s shore glowing from a warm light within.

Paper Heart starts with “I Sing Your Evening Into Stars” (Mina Laulum Sun Iltasi Tahtihin) – a poem by Finland’s poet laureate V,A. Koskenniemi, it is a dreamlike waking of spring to summer, of souls returning home, of a wish to be near one’s love.

“Shiver Me Timbers” and “Meet Me on the Moon”, two poems by Alaskan poet and one-time Minnesota resident John Reinhard, are beautifully arranged and given wings to soar. With “Leina Leski”, the “Song of the Unblessed Widow” Diane will delight her Finnish fans who look forward to her arrangements of traditional Finnish ballads.

In “Where Were You Last Night” Diane steps into the city streetlights and serves up the blues as sultry as can be and sweetened by a great harmonica by Clint Hoover. She stays in the blues vein with the title- cut “Paper Heart” an original by Diane that show off her versatility as a musician and poet. “Triste Es Lo Cel” – Sad is the Sky is a French love song that could have come from a Finnish pen with all the images that it conjures.

I was taken by her arrangement of Joe Hill’s “The White Slave” the haunting story could be taken from the pages of any of today’s newspapers in any city. In Jos Voism” we return to traditional Finnish material, sorrows soaring on a lark’s wing.

Then there is “Padam Padam” In the past when friends would ask me to describe Diane’s vocal styling I would bring up images of gypsy-cafe singers like France’s Edith Piaf. Even the folk magazine Dirty Linen in its last review of Diane used the same comparison. On Paper Heart she finally brings to her collection this classic of Piaf’s. Listening to this song we are taken away to a street cafe in Paris (or a street table in Helsinki) with this song of love lost.

“You Do Me In” is the final bluesy original selection, and to these ears, she sure does… this album ended far too soon! If you ever have the chance to hear Diane live, and especially if she’s singing with Minnesota’s “Cafe Accordion”, please do so—most of the musicians on this album are with this entertaining combo.

I want to hear more from Diane. Or let me put it this way (my apologies to Glanzberg and Contet for the liberties I take with their song “Padam, Padam”):

This album obsesses me night and day
This album is not the sort written today
It comes from as far away as I come from
Carried by a hundred thousand musicians
One day this album will drive me crazy
A hundred times 1 wanted to ask “why?”
But it stole the words away from me.

Diane Jarvi explores the roots and vines, the flowers and the shadows, on her fifth CD release, Wild Gardens (Lupine Records). The tranquility that infuses Diane’s vocal style compellingly traverses the landscape where emotions converge – joyfulness, mourning, hope, rebirth.

Accompanied by her own guitar and kantele (Finnish folk harp), Diane is joined by a stellar roster of Twin Cities musicians on originals, traditional songs and contemporary covers. The 13 tracks include a rich blend of folk, jazz, tangos and Gypsy sounds – a range matched by a breadth of languages.

Diane is a Minneapolis native whose grandparents all emigrated from Finland, a heritage she has embraced throughout her career. On Wild Gardens, Diane’s poetic tales are sung in English, Finnish, Swedish and Occitan (a language of Medieval French troubadours).

Featuring:

• Diane Jarvi, vocals, guitar, kantele
• Gordy Johnson – bass
• Marc Anderson – percussion
• Brian Barnes – guitar, mandolin
• Dean Magraw – guitar
• Dan Newton – accordion
• Clint Hoover – harmonica
• Ralph Tutilla – jouhikko
• Anna Vazquez – cello

©2007 Lupine Records, Lakehead Music/ASCAP

On Diane Jarvi’s Paper Heart, you’ll find love letters from France, the poetry of Finland, songs of love, both lost and found, hearts broken and healed.

Featuring:

• Diane Jarvi, vocals, guitar, kantele
• Gordy Johnson – bass
• Marc Anderson – percussion
• Brian Barnes – guitar, mandolin
• Dean Magraw – guitar
• Dan Newton – accordion
• Clint Hoover – harmonica

©2004 Lupine Records, Lakehead Music/ASCAP

Flying Into Blue is an unconventional collection of songs and lullabies from regions as diverse as Ireland, Mexico, Russian Karelia and Finland, combined with her own fine songwriting and poems set to original music.

Flying Into Blue combines the artistry of her songwriting with her love of world music and poetry. She sings songs in Karelian, Sami, Gaelic and Spanish as well as poetry by Keats, Rossetti, Dickinson and Poe. These are blended with some of her original songs, and features accompaniment by many award-winning instumentalists.

• Read the review from The Finnish American Reporter

Featuring:

• Diane Jarvi, vocals, guitar, kantele
• Dean Magraw, guitar
• Dan Newton, accordion
• Sunita Staneslow, concert harp
• Laura MacKenzie, woodwinds
• Marc Anderson, percussion
• Gordy Johnson, bass

©1999 Lupine Records, Lakehead Music/ASCAP

Revontuli or “Northern Lights” covers a variety of music from Finland as well as original compositions and instrumental pieces written for the kantele.

Tangos, waltzes, gypsy music blend together with traditional songs from Karelia and Ostra Bothnia, along with tunes for the 5, 10 and 36 string kantele.

“There is something distinct about Finnish music. It is the music of my ancestors. It can be both exotic and pure, electrifying and mesmerizing. It stands in my life as both sunlight and moonlight, and like the kokko, the bonfire, always burning.” -Diane Jarvi

Featuring:

• Diane Jarvi, vocals, guitar, kantele
• Seppo “Paroni” Paakkunainen, Finland’s great jazz artist,
  on tuohihuilu (birch bark flute) and saxophones
• Dan Newton, accordion
• Jim Price, violin and mandolin
• Marc Anderson, percussion
• Gordy Johnson, bass
• Dean Magraw, guitar
• Brian Barnes, guitar
• Arto Järvelä, violin (from Finnish folk duo Pinnin Poijat & fiddle group JPP)
• Kimmo Pohjonen, accordion, (from Pinnin Poijat)

©1996 Lupine Records, Lakehead Music/ASCAP