Ilkka Heinonen Trio

The Jouhikko is an ancient bowed lyre found in Finland and Estonia. The traditional playing technique involves the musician holding the instrument in a slightly off-vertical position between the knees, whilst bowing its three strings with a hand made sisal bow. The bowed lyre survived longest in the Finnish provinces of Savo and western Karelia, as well as on the mainland of Estonia and the islands off the northwestern coast. The only information about the use of the jouhikko in Finland originates from the Provinces of Savo and Karelia where it was traditionally used as a dance instrument as well as to accompany songs.

The members of the trio are all highly regarded artists in their own rite and have been heard with many world-renowned groups including: Värttinä, UMO jazz orchestra, Antonio Forcione Quartet, Adriano Adewale Group, Nathan Riki Thomson Subsonic Ensemble, Jouhiorkesteri, Ruuti, Teija Niku & Grupa Balkan, Eero Koivistoinen, Pepa Päivinen, Raoul Björkenheim, Severi Pyysalo, Jukka Perko, Jimi Tenor, Viktoria Tolstoy, David Liebman, Randy Weston, Tomasz Stanko and Frank Marocco, Pekko Käppi, Timo Alakotila, Johanna Juhola and Milla Viljamaa and Göksel Baktagir. -