Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin Goes ROOTS

In Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin’s musical melting pot, Arabic, Jewish and Romani music meet the rhythms of flamenco and the Finnish jouhikko bowed lyre. Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin is an award-winning Helsinki-based artist ensemble with roots at the intersection of flamenco and contemporary art. The group’s works freely blend different musical traditions and styles, enriching the Finnish cultural landscape. This results in bold, original and multi-artistic stage productions that touch international audiences as well. The work Compañía Kaari & Roni Martin Goes ROOTS is like a musical melting pot in which Arabic, Jewish and Romani music meet the rhythms of flamenco and the Finnish jouhikko bowed lyre. The group’s artists come from a variety of countries and cultures; Iraqi Ali Saad is a master of traditional Arabic music, Roni Martin is a master of his family’s Jewish musical tradition, jouhikko player Pekko Käppi excels in Finnish folk music, and choreographer Kaari Martin is an expert in flamenco dance and rhythm. In collaboration with Kanneltalo, the cast of the production expands, and the following artists are also involved in the process of exploring their roots and innovating: Syrian dancer Angela Aldebs, Iraqi actor and director Bakr Hasan, as well as Romani musicians Miritza Lundberg and Miska Lundberg, and singer and dancer Madiana Lundberg. The work features songs in at least Finnish, Arabic, Hebrew, Ladino and Romani. Creative team: Pekko Käppi – jouhikko, vocals Roni Martin – piano, guitar, vocals Kaari Martin – dance, vocals Ali Saad – vocals Angela Aldebs – dance, vocals Bakr Hasan – poetry recital, vocals Miritza Lundberg – vocals Madiana Lundberg – dance, vocals Miska Lundberg – vocals Eppu Helle – sound design Images by Emilia Annala Duration: 1 h 15 min