New album published 2014: Blue Skies
|
the L E V I T A T O R SThe Levitators is a trailblazer of original Jamaican-based reggae scene in a far-away country Finland. Since the 1980’s the band has recorded both own music and covers, and shared the joy of live reggae music on numerous gigs around.
The show is still going on, and the latest CD “Blue Skies” was released in the spring of 2014. Check out the “Media” –section for pics and clips! |
|
COMING: Kingston club
Experience the Levitators in Kingston club 10-12-2022, location Lahti, Finland. Check out: Facebook |
HISTORY IN A NUTSHELL
In the late 1970’s schoolmates Jussi Tirronen , Esa Kärenmäki and Vesa Järvinen found out that they shared an enthusiastic interest on exotic reggae riddims, not very common in Finland at that time. Soon listening and learning musical facts was not enough for these curious young men anymore, and they started to play the tunes and rhythms with various people under the preliminary collective title The Levitationaires. As Ossi Helin bumped into these guys at a gig in 1982, and Jylle Tolvanen came across in 1983, the core of
the Levitators was complete.
During the past decades various musicians have come and gone, but this Furious Five still stands their ground. In 1995 steady horn power was added, as Mikk0 Parviainen joined the group, and since 2008 a bit of middle-aged girl power aka Päivi Lahti has become a part of the band as well.
All the way The Levitators has concentrated on making Jamaican rhythm music in English, adding own spices to the well respected traditions, and music’s been made from ska via rockers to dance hall. But since the total musical interest scale of this group is altogether somewhat mixed, stirred and well shaken, some contradictions are constantly needed to move forward. Originally the strongest influences were taken from classics like The Revolutionaries, Roots Radics, Gregory Isaacs, Bob Marley and Dennis Brown, but over the years the Levitators has been brave enough to introduce own riddims as well, not to mention giving old hits a brand new roots-form.
The first public gig took place in June 1983, and since then enjoyable and quite rare live-band reggae has made people move and dance around Finland more or less frequently. The latest additions to the ranks of the band are keyboard-player Esa Kaalikoski and guitarist Esa Lötjönen.
In the late 1970’s schoolmates Jussi Tirronen , Esa Kärenmäki and Vesa Järvinen found out that they shared an enthusiastic interest on exotic reggae riddims, not very common in Finland at that time. Soon listening and learning musical facts was not enough for these curious young men anymore, and they started to play the tunes and rhythms with various people under the preliminary collective title The Levitationaires. As Ossi Helin bumped into these guys at a gig in 1982, and Jylle Tolvanen came across in 1983, the core of
the Levitators was complete.
During the past decades various musicians have come and gone, but this Furious Five still stands their ground. In 1995 steady horn power was added, as Mikk0 Parviainen joined the group, and since 2008 a bit of middle-aged girl power aka Päivi Lahti has become a part of the band as well.
All the way The Levitators has concentrated on making Jamaican rhythm music in English, adding own spices to the well respected traditions, and music’s been made from ska via rockers to dance hall. But since the total musical interest scale of this group is altogether somewhat mixed, stirred and well shaken, some contradictions are constantly needed to move forward. Originally the strongest influences were taken from classics like The Revolutionaries, Roots Radics, Gregory Isaacs, Bob Marley and Dennis Brown, but over the years the Levitators has been brave enough to introduce own riddims as well, not to mention giving old hits a brand new roots-form.
The first public gig took place in June 1983, and since then enjoyable and quite rare live-band reggae has made people move and dance around Finland more or less frequently. The latest additions to the ranks of the band are keyboard-player Esa Kaalikoski and guitarist Esa Lötjönen.
