Jussi Syten (FI) & the Groundbreakers release single and video

Very few bluegrass bands from Europe can count on getting A-list US musicians as guests on their recordings, and warmly favourable reviews from the US bluegrass media. Finland's Jussi Syren & the Groundbreakers, who play what a Bluegrass Unlimited reviewer has called 'that true traditional sound, the one that probably drew the vast majority of us to bluegrass', are among the select few.

John Lawless reports on Bluegrass Today that they released a week ago (16 Dec.) a video for the song 'Across the rolling tide', written by Jussi Syren and due to appear on their forthcoming album Bluegrass voice. The fiddling on the recording is by Michael Cleveland. The video can be seen on the band's Facebook page.

The cover art (above right) is worth seeing close up; it appears on Facebook, where - thanks to a question from Tony 'Bluegrass Boy' Friel of Donegal Bay Radio - we learn that it was painted by Jussi Syren's wife Hanna.

© Richard Hawkins