compañía kaari & roni martin goes roots

Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin goes ROOTS combines different musical traditions and styles without prejudice. It is like a musical melting pot, where Arab, Jewish and Romani music meets the rhythms of flamenco and Finnish instrument bowed lyre.

True to their style, the group of artists has wanted to break boundaries by bringing different musical styles together and see what kind of music and dialogue is created on stage - and whether they can even find compatibility and similarity in the end. While the performance dives deep into the roots of flamenco, renewing and fusing it, it broadens the perspective on the concept of Finnishness.

The performance features minority cultures in Finland: Iraqi Ali Saad masters traditional Arabic music, Roni Martin his family's Jewish musical tradition, bowed lyre player Pekko Käppi Finnish folk music and choreographer Kaari Martin flamenco dance and rhythm. Finnish folk music can also be seen as a minority today. Flamenco reminds us of the Finnish romani people, because the roots of flamenco - which originated in Andalusia in southern Spain - are precisely in romani music.

We all have a desire to be accepted, seen and respected as we are, without offending or hurting each other. Every person longs for security and peace. The Roots concert wants to remind people through art that we humans are all the same deep down and in our basic needs.

The work is suitable for all ages. The production also takes into account different audiences, e.g. physical and mental accessibility and different languages. On stage you will hear at least Finnish, Arabic, Hebrew and Ladino. You do not need to understand these languages: you can simply enjoy the music as an experience.

ON STAGE

Pekko Käppi – bowed lyre, voc.

Roni Martin – piano, guitar, voc.

Kaari Martin – dance, voc.

Ali Saad - vocals