Teija Niku & Juha Kujanpää – Aamunkoitto (Rockadillo Records ZENCD2197, 2025)
Finnish musicians Teija Niku and Juha Kujanpää reunite on Aamunkoitto, a splendid collaborative album that deepens their long-standing musical partnership. The project centers on exquisite, finely crafted and highly engaging original works for accordion and piano rooted in western classical and Finnish folk music. It was composed and developed over several years with an open-ended, exploratory process.
Teija Niku (b. 1982), an acclaimed accordionist, is known for her lyrical style and command of Nordic and Balkan folk traditions. She has released three solo albums, Hetkessä (2019), Memento (2017), and Finsko Pajdusko (2011), and performed extensively across Europe and the U.S.
Juha Kujanpää (b. 1974) is a genre-blending composer whose music draws from folk, jazz, and progressive rock. His solo albums include Kivenpyörittäjä – Tales And Travels (2013); Kultasiipi – Goldwing (2015); Niin Kauas Kuin Siivet Kantaa – To Where My Wings Will Take Me (2017); and Old Ways, New Ways (2022). They all have earned critical praise, with Tales and Travels recognized among Helsingin Sanomat’s top albums of 2013.
The two artists have worked together for over 15 years, notably in the folk group Karuna, with whom they released Hyvää matkaa (2011) and Tuulispää (2017). Each has appeared on the other’s solo albums, further cementing a creative rapport.
*Aamunkoitto* grew out of a desire to write without boundaries. Developed during the pandemic, the project began informally, allowing both musicians to experiment freely. Some material was set aside, while others evolved into the final tracks. “It was liberating to work without a clear goal,” Niku explains, noting the emphasis on equal roles for the two instruments. Kujanpää adds, “Our rehearsals felt like a laboratory, we welcomed unfinished ideas and let collaboration shape them.”
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Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.