The CD Sato - Harvest  can be ordered from IMU-musiikki or purchased from band members or at the Niittykoski store in Haapavesi.  It aims at showing a wide variety of music played on kanteles, even though it begins quite tamely:

1. Mitä nuo tähdet merkitsee (Finnish trad.): We learned the melody from Outi Linnaranta.  We took it back into our program after hearing the mandolin that Barb Hanka used.  We replaced the mandolin with a mallet on kantele and added Jaakko's saw.

2.  Orvon joiku (trad., arr. Sanna Kurkisuonio): Sanna's vocal arrangement of this song from Lapland was made in Haapavesi when Jane was her student.  When we sang it in Michigan TV-cameramen came running and as a result it was seen on TV all over Scandinavia in 2005.  Then when Finland became chairman of the EU in 2006 it was a showstopper at the evening gala of the first EU conference.

3.  Elämää suomalaismetsissä (trad., arr. Ilmola):  We performed in the Finnforest of Norway and Sweden in 2001 and remember many wondeful people there.

4.  Minä tässä hyppelen kultani kanssa (trad.): belonged to the repertoire of Haapavesi master of couplet, kantele and kantelebuilding - Pasi Jääskeläinen.  Jane added another kantele voice.

5.  Huhtikuun Ilta (trad., arr. Ilmola):  This was in the repetoire of master kanteleplayer Väinö Savikoski, also from Haapavesi.  Jane was inspired to arrange it as a tribute to the style of Eero Pitkälä, living master of traditional kantele in Haapavesi, who was awarded the Gold Kantele.  Eero studied directiong of traditional kantele together with Jane, and they still often work together on the traditional music.

6.   Koko maailman polska (trad.): This was played eveyshere in Finland, our version is in the style of master kantelplayer Väinö Savikoski.  Sanna sings and at the end Jaakko steps up the tempo, which is not unusual where Jaakko is concerned.  We still remember when he played Huhtikuun Ilta like the Minute Waltz in Madison.

7.  Kulkurinvalssi (Vandrarevalsen) (trad.):  In 2003 Finnish expatriates insisted we add this to our repertoire since it is their theme song.  We added it for the second U.S. tour and Jane added some voices.

8.  Polkkasikermä (trad.):  Jaakko solos starting with  a polkka from the repetoire of Väinö Savikoski, going on to the Kytökylä village (a village in Haapavesi) polkka from the repertoire of Anni Kääriäinenen "Hatukankaan Anni" and ending with the famous Säkkijärven polkka, which is usually played on the accordion.

9.  Vanhan kartanon kehräävä rukki (the Old Spinning Wheel, William J. Hill): Master kanteleplayer Toivo "Topi" Alaspää (recently deceased) played this in the style of the Perho river valley from the short side of the kantele.  We added two verses to make room for a slide trombone effect in the bass and a ragtime piano effect in the discant, both done on kantele.  Thanks to Bruce  Benward, who insisted that Jane research Scott Joplin for a chapter in his textbook way long ago.

10.  Ievan Polkka (trad., words by Eino Kettunen):  Jane heard this performed by Loituma a long time ago, and when the notes popped up we put it into our repertoire in 2005, not remembering what they did with it.  The singers replace the instruments and the washboard we got as a present from antiquedealar Jerome in Minnesota gives ryhthm.  We've received lots of followers thru this piece, it was only afterwards that we heard that it was part of an international boom.  In France they sold pictures of this washboard at the festival in Gannat.  After performing it in Bulgaria we were surprised to hear it playing as we walked down a street.

11.  Matuska (trad.) is a traditional piece for 5-string kantele from the repertoire of multiple kantele master Antti Rantonen, who also came from Haapavesi.  We spiced it up with more kanteles in different sizes, as well as jouhikko and conga drums toward the end.  The higher octave in the melody is double on our baby kantele, the piccolokantele, played by Laura, who is the youngest in the group at the moment.   

12.  Tango XYZ (by Toivo Kärki) won the kantele composition contest in Kaustinen in 1985.  It has two 5-strings accompanying  a  piccolokantele, all in different tunings.  In France they were amazed how important a dance tango is in Finland, even having different steps.

13.  Habanera ABC (by Jaakko Meriläinen) was compose when Jaakko should have been studying for test week in school.

14.  Eriskummainen kantele (by Sanna Kurkisuonio) is another piece we received from Sanna.  Jane heard it a long time ago in a Loituma performance but when we finally found it again we rebuild it in a completely different way.  This piece mirrors the development of our group from traditional to the rebellious teenage.  When listening to the recording we found a voice that nobody sings, it was Jane's overtones, which were left in the second verse over the low voice.  This piece is still developing poststudio, having acquired a real drumset, more fuzz and a heavier jouhikko.  Thanks to Sanna K.

15.  Sekopäisen polska (by Paula Kantola):  Our accordionplayer Paula couldn't make it to the group recording sessions so some pieces didn't make it onto this CD.  She's an important member, talented singer, accordionist as well as composer.  When people organising events we play in don't advertise enough, or don't/can't arrange PA, she attracts the attention of the crouds with her louder accordion.  Hopefully we'll be able to record more with her in the future.

16.  Unikekko (by Jaakko Meriläinen): is another piece Jaakko composed on concert kantele when he should have been studying for tests.

17.  Baby Elephant Walk (by Henry Mancini):  This time it isn't playedd on 5-sting with a spoon but with electric concert kantele and jazzy sounds.

18.  Moomin (improv.) is a wilder version of the film you can view from this page.

19.  I shall be released (by Bob Dylan) was a long time in the planning, but got added to our repertoire when we visited his home town Hibbing, Minnesota in 2003.  We also visited a restaurant devoted to Dylan, performing there.  Only afterwards did the other players hear the original version of this tune.  Greetings to all our friends in Minnesota!

20.  Finlandia (by Jean Sibelius):  After performing this in church in Duluth, the listeners sang it to us int the english hymn version and tears came to our eyes.

21.  Kehtolaulu (by Hristo Dantchev): is for two specially tuned 5-string kanteles.  The composer moved to Haapavesi from Bulgaria.  He composed this when his young daughter was ill.

About the CD jacket:  the landscape is the Devils Field in Haapavesi.  The picture on the back of Jaakko and his angels was taken in Bulgaria.