Six years since their debut performance at the Shetland Folk Festival, Baltic Crossing are back! They are five award-winning musicians from Finland, Denmark and the UK, here to bring you fiery Scandinavian tunes, bubbling Northumbrian pipes and a driving guitar and double bass rhythm section.
Baltic Crossing were founded in 2004 and were the first folk music band ever to be selected as European Concert Hall Organisation’s ‘Rising Stars’- a prestigious programme offering the opportunity to devise and perform their own programme across various European concert hall venues to an exceptional group of artistes.
The band members are no strangers to the Shetland Folk Festival having performed as Baltic Crossing in 2012, and also individually with other acts over the years including KAN, Hababdekuk, Esko Järvelä Epic Male Band and Tsuumi Sound System. The musicians are Kristian Bugge (fiddle), cousins Esko (fiddle and viola) and Antti Järvelä (double bass and mandolin), Ian Stephenson (guitar and button accordion) and Andy May (piano and Northumbrian pipes).
They have the roots solidly planted in the Nordic and Celtic traditions and their performances are characterised by great dynamism and humour. They have released three critically acclaimed CDs, all of which have been nominated for the Danish Music Award, with ‘The Tune Machine’ also achieving Album of the Month on BBC Radio 3’s World on Three.
Baltic Crossing use their strong affinity for old dance music and respect for each others traditions to bring energetic life-loving folk music to their audiences. You’ll have “about the best possible time you can ever think of having”! (Sing Out! Magazine)
“enjoyable on so many different levels that any fan of English or Nordic Music will find much to like”
Dirty Linen
"The musicians’ spirit and their ability is infectious, poignant, and invigorating. …absolute, unbridled joy.”
Sing Out magazine
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