About Diane Jarvi

A singer, songwriter, guitarist and kantele player, Diane Jarvi is a versatile performer of folk and world music. Jarvi deep dives her ethnic roots, explores Americana styles and embraces world music bringing power to her performances as well as intricacy in her love of poetry and songwriting. In addition to her own compositions, Jarvi is known for her intimate and authentic interpretations of tangos, waltzes, gypsy music, ballads, jazz standards and cabaret songs from around the world.

Diane Jarvi's recordings Foreign WindsRevontuliFlying Into Blue, Paper Heart, Wild Gardens, Bittersweet and This Ordinary Day are heard on radio throughout Europe, Australia, Canada as well as around the U.S. She has been the subject of two film documentaries, Muistot and Kaipuu, by the award-winning filmmaker Erkki Määtänen.

She has been the recipient of artistic grants and awards including a McKnight MacPhail performing fellowship as well as a recipient of a Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. She has performed across Finland, in France with the great Occitan musician Patric, in concert for Hawaii Public Radio, at colleges and Universities in the United States and Canada.

An award-winning poet under the name Diane Jarvenpa, she has six books of poetry.

She was awarded as one of the 50 over 50 Minnesotans who have made significant contributions and achievements in their communities from Pollen Midwest and AARPMN.

Diane Jarvi

“Diane Jarvi's music can best be described as poetic cross-cultural jazzy bilingual world folk – OK, her music is hard to describe. But it's certainly not hard to like.” -Minneapolis Star Tribune

Wild Gardens...one of the best Minnesota recordings of the year.”  -Minneapolis Star Tribune

“A voice that moves bewitchingly from dark to light.” -Ilta-Sanomat, Helsinki

“The raw, yet understated power of Jarvi’s voice is sweet, yet sensuous.” -Susan Buddig, worldmusiccentral.org