Groupa

KIND OF FOLK – POLAND

As the trailblazers of progressive Nordic folk since 1981, Groupa now continue with the fifth part of the Kind of Folk project – Poland. Guesting artist is the extra ordinary singer and violinist Marta Matuszna.

Drawing inspiration from Nordic folk music, Groupa performs music that reflects both a deep, enduring connection to tradition and a strong, unyielding desire to continually evolve. In Groupa's project Kind of Folk, traditional music from various origins meets the group's innovative approach. So far, Groupa has released five albums in the Kind of Folk series, featuring
music rooted in Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the Iberian Peninsula.

In the fifth installment of the Kind of Folk project, you’ll experience how Groupa, in collaboration with the exceptional singer and violinist Marta Matuszna from Laliki, Poland, explores new musical paths. Together, they create music born from the encounter of their diverse experiences and the exciting borderland where curious musical encounters take shape. Marta Matuszna has long been a driving force in preserving and developing the rich musical traditions of the Beskid Żywiec region. With several years of experience at the Golec Brothers Foundation, she has taught both violin and traditional singing, deeply inspired by the folk music of the region. Matuszna's love for folk music is rooted in her childhood, where her grandmother played a central and significant role as her first and most important teacher. Her passion for this musical tradition has also led her to co-found the duo “DudySkrzypce,” which focuses on ancient music from Beskid Żywiec, as well as the band “Niearchaic Composition”.

JONAS SIMONSON
flutes, bass clarinet
- plays like no other flutist, with his own characteristic sting and intensity of sound and rhythm. His musical approach can also be heard in Tuultenpesä, Den Fule and Crane Dance Trio, and in recordings with the brilliant folk trio Bäsk. The border crossing project Songs in Meantone with double bass player Anders Jormin and organist Karin Nelson has attracted much attention. You can also listen to breathtaking wind playing on his solo albums Crane Dance and Till Tranland.

TERJE ISUNGSET
drums, percussion, mouth harp
- an uncompromising musician, whose numerous years at work to create a genuine, rhythmic dimension of sound have crafted a distinctly individual musical identity. He has designed, and built, most of his array of special Percussion. The instruments come from Norwegian nature as well as from Isungset's journeys around the globe. Pioneer in Ice instruments. He has now released his seventh "ice" CD.

MATS EDEN
fiddle, viola d'amore, diatonic accordion
- his fiddle playing is a hallmark of the band, combining influences from both Vaermland and Norway. He has studied composing at the Norwegian Academy of music in Oslo and writes a great deal of Groupa's music. He has recorded with Ale Moeller and Lena Willemark
in the Nordan Project at ECM records. Shortly after followed his solo album at ECM. Mats is also a member of Royal Swedish academy of Music.