Overall presentation
Jeepit is a folk music band from Tampere and Kangasala, Finland. The band was founded in March 2008. Jeepit have had gigs in pubs and music festivals, and the band has often been invited to perform in private sessions and celebrations. Jeepit arrange Folkclub sessions in Tampere, and in our folkclubs we invite musicians to join us on stage.
Line-up
Teija Lehto (violin)
Heidi Okkonen (accordion)
Mikko Renko (guitar)
Niilo Sirola (bass, mandolin, vocals)
Music
Jeepit play folk music – mainly Irish, but also Finnish and Scandinavian folk music. Sometimes we play bluegrass and blues. We also compose our own music and make arrangements.
Music Samples
We have some music samples on page Ääninäytteitä, and also on MySpace Music.
Readiness to perform
Pubs, clubs, festivals, weddings, dancefloors when a touch of folkmusic is needed, private celebrations. Acoustically or with electronic instruments.
Musicians
Teija chose between the violin and school at high school age – and since then fiddling has been a free time activity for her. In Jeepit she plays the violin. You may occasionally see her playing in other bands too, just to mention one of them, with an Irish folk music group at Ahjola education center in Tampere. She also sings in the Cantionale Chamber choir .
Heidi studied playing accordion at Tampere conservatory during 1986-2003. She graduated from the department of music research, although she originally started studying folklore at the university of Tampere. Heidi has played the accordeon more than 11 years in the band Raivottaret, and also in numerous other bands. She has regularly accompanied dancing groups at Ahjola and Rientola education centers and a Carelian dance group in the city of Nokia.
Mikko was a bass player in 1985-1989 in the metal band Merciless in the city of Seinäjoki. After the band broke up, he took up the guitar and keyboards, intending to create a career in progressive rock. At the same time he composed some music for short films. In 1998 Mikko moved to Tampere, and the beginning of the millennium was less hectic. In 2006 he got interested in acoustic guitar. At that time he also started using DADGAD tuning with his guitar. In autumn 2008 Mikko took part in the same Irish folk music course as Teija, and played in the course band. After a sequence of interesting coincidences he ended up playing in the Jeepit in February 2008. His musical solo career is still under way – it is a long-term project.
Niilo plays the base and sometimes sings in the band. He is also a member in another band, Greenrose Faire. His first folk music experiences and first connection with the Jeepit took place in the Irish folk music group where also Mikko and Teija play. To compensate for being a base player (as he puts it) he is not afraid to try also guitar, mandolin, banjo, Irish tin whistle, piano or anything that he can shake or rattle.
Your comments
We would love to have your comment here. Especially if you happen to hear us playing live in Tampere.
