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we play folk music.
our friends used to call us Bergå Folk Project.
tradition is our passion.

emmagaala

REWARDED OF THE BEST ETHNO-ALBUM IN THE FINNISH GRAMMIES 2023

"If I got to choose the best folk music album of the year, I'd be happy to give that credit for Bergå Folk Projects debut."
 

Helsingin Sanomat, 2022

"Eclectic, colourful and engaging"

Songlines, 2022 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

"Bergå Folk Projects debut album offers the juiciest Finnish world music in a long time"

Yle Radio 1, 2022
 

News

NEWS

EP 'ENCORE' OUT NOW!

On the Encore EP, BFP returns home, manifesting the Finnish folk music tradition not only through their own fresh compositions but also in the form of traditional melodies. There are only two languages used this time!
 

In addition to the core line-up Grundström-Järvelä-Korhonen-Savolainen Encore EP features Sámi rapper Ailu Valle on Nälkämaan Laulu and percussionist Abdissa “Mamba” Assefa on every four tracks.

The Encore EP is a solid dose of Finnish folk music made with love and professionalism, with a small twist typical to BFP. This leaves you wanting more, as an encore should!

BFP:

Esko Grundström - double bass, kantele, vocals
Aili Järvelä - vocals, fiddle, pump organ, low whistle, jews harp
Topi Korhonen - guitar, mandolin, vocals
Iida Savolainen - viola, vocals, bowed lyre
 

Featuring musicians:
Abdissa "Mamba" Assefa
- percussion (1-4)
Ailu Valle - rap, yoik (2)
 

1. Kukko Kickoff (5:20)
comp. trad., lyrics trad. & BFP, arr. BFP & Mamba Assefa

2. Nälkämaa (3:43)
comp. Topi Korhonen, Aili Järvelä, lyrics Ilmari Kianto, Ailu Valle, Iida Savolainen Aili Järvelä, arr. BFP, Mamba Assefa, Ailu Valle

3. Vallilan puut (4:20)
comp. lyrics Topi Korhonen, arr. BFP & Mamba Assefa

4. Kutti kutti (3:23)
comp. Aili Järvelä, lyrics trad. Aili Järvelä, Iida Savolainen, arr. BFP & Mamba Assefa

BFP RELEASED A NEW SONG 'NÄLKÄMAA' WITH NORTHERN SÁMI RAPPER ÁILU VALLE

We went to the studio in October to record our EP called Encore. In the single release of the EP we are honored to have Áilu Valle, a Finnish Sámi rapper as a featuring artist. 

The EP will be released in the spring 2024.

Nälkämaa cover art
Ailu Valle

NÄLKÄMAA WITH LYRICS 

NEW NAME! BERGÅ FOLK PROJECT IS FROM NOW ON KNOWN BY THE NAME BFP! 

So the name Bergå Folk Project is history, band remains the same. BFP it is! 

BFP

What a day, what an honour! We are
very grateful and happy about this. Cheers! 

Topi is missing from the pic, as he was meanwhile performing in Celtic Connections with Frigg.

BFP'S DEBUT ALBUM GOT REWARDED AS THE BEST ETHNO ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2022 IN THE FINNISH GRAMMIES!
 

finnish grammies
BIO

Four musicians, twelve instruments, eight sung languages.

These are the elements that make up BFP, before known as Bergå Folk Project, a group formed by Finnish professional folk musicians. On their self released debut album, 'Bergå Folk Project' (2022), they perform a suite of folksongs, originally gathered together and arranged by the Italian contemporary composer Luciano Berio. In this album BFP seeks out to bring the folk songs that inspired Berio back to their roots with new, innovative arrangements. The group’s international repertoire sung in eight languages and played with twelve different instruments presents the audience a variety of world- and folk music styles along with powerful performances and awe-inspiring artistry. The debut album has been collecting great reviews in Finland and worldwide, and it got rewarded as the best ethno album of the year in Finnish Grammies Emmagaala.

BFP consists of Aili Järvelä, Iida Savolainen, Esko Grundström and Topi Korhonen.

STORY BEHIND THE BAND
BFP promo picture

BFP came into being with a peculiar gig offer by Aleksi Malmberg, the intendant of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, who commissioned a back-to-the-roots rendition of Italian contemporary composer Luciano Berio’s folk song suite. The suite in question is known to many connoisseurs and performers of contemporary music, but was unfamiliar to the group put together to face the challenge. Thus the arrangement process began with great enthusiasm and curiousity, even with a tinge of fear.The arrangements were premiered by BFP at the Encounters Club of Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in September of 2019. After a successful debut and with an enthusiastic reception by the audience the group decided to continue their journey all the way to the studio and to the stages. 

The repertoire of BFP consists of folk songs from Azerbaidžan, Armenia, Italy, the United States and France. In addition to the the languages of the countries mentioned before there are songs also in Occitan, Swedish and Finnish. All of the songs except for two are traditional and arranged by the group.

The members of BFP have been active participants in various productions and groups spanning different genres. Not only are the band's musicians Aili Järvelä, Iida Savolainen, Topi Korhonen, and Esko Grundström well-known for their solo projects, but they have also contributed to numerous theatrical productions and folk music groups such as FriggENKEL, Akkajee and Ilkka Arola Sound Tagine.

Bio

BFP

Founded in:

2019

Genre:

Folk music, world music

Origin:

Finland / Helsinki / Loviisa

Band members: 
Aili Järvelä - vocals, violin, pump organ
Esko Grundström - double bass, accordion, kantele, vocals
Iida Savolainen - viola, vocals, bowed lyre, violin
Topi Korhonen - guitar, mandolin, pump organ, vocals

+ featuring
Abdissa "Mamba" Assefa - percussion

The band
Gigs

UPCOMING GIGS: 

10.-11.1.2025 Folklandia cruise

ALREADY GONE:

2.8.2024 Salfest, Loviisa
11.11.2023 Private gig, Helsinki
29.6.2023 Veszprém-Balaton, Bánya Kert / Hungary
13.6.2023 Garden concert, Helsinki
13.6.2023 Pikkukirkko, Porvoo
12.6.2023 Cafe-restaurant Saltbodan, Loviisa
2.9.2022 Loviisan Sibeliuspäivät, Loviisa

9.8.2022 Espan lava, Helsinki

14.-15.7.2022 Kaustinen Folk Music Festival

29.6.2022 Espan lava, Helsinki
2.6.2022 Album release gig
, Hietsun Paviljonki, Helsinki

 

GIGS

Music

RELEASES

Social
  • Instagram

BFP INSTAGRAM

Press gallery

BFP PRESS GALLERY

MAKING OF DEBUT ALBUM

CONTACT & BOOKING
Contact & booking

Booking:
Fazer Artists Management Inc. / Mari Lankinen
mari.lankinen@fazerartists.fi

 

Interviews:
bergafolkproject@gmail.com

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