Draft:Janne Kaunisto
Janne Kaunisto (b. 8 February 1991 Loimaa, Finland), is a Finnish country music recording artist, known also for translating American country songs into Finnish. His genre and habitus is close to those of outlaw country singers.[1]
Kaunisto performs both as a solo artist and as part of various groups, both in Finnish and in English. Kaunisto has released four albums as a solo artist and as a member of various groups. The Finnish magazine Blues News has written the following about Kaunisto's singing style:[2][3]
| “ | As a singer, Kaunisto is not pretentious, he has a pleasant voice and is a strong interpreter. His sound would have secured him a future in schlager music. However, we hope that the meager income and rough lifestyle associated with country music will appeal to him in the future as well. | ” |
Career
Kaunisto started making music at the age of 16 as a rock 'n' roll troubadour, when Elvis and Johnny Cash made an impression on him. In the case of Cash, the movie Walk the Line was also an inspiration.
Kaunisto's recording career started in 2010, when a local shopkeeper in Loimaa released a CD single from him on his own label, Jupiter Stroll. The songs on the CD were "It's Good To Be Home Cowboys", written by Kaunisto himself, and the John Leyton's song "Johnny Remember Me", which had risen to number one in the British charts in 1961.
With the founding of the band Johnny B.D. & The Gasoline Guys in 2012, Kaunisto switched to country music, and when he became acquainted with the recordings of the Finnish bands Freud Marx Engels & Jung and Pekka Myllykoski & Jytäjemmarit, he was turned on to making country music in the Finnish language.[1][2][4][5]
Johnny B.D. & The Gasoline Guys initially consisted of guitarist Tuomas Metsberg, bassist Lasse Sirkko and drummer Juha Litmanen. Kaunisto's actual recording career began in this band in 2014, when they released their first album called On The Rails (Wagon Wheels Records), although the aforementioned CD single had appeared under the same name, but with a different line-up.[2] The style of this new band represented authentic country music.[6][7][8] Later, in 2019, Johnny B. D. and the Gasoline Guys has released an album without a drummer, aptly titled Trio.[9]
Together with Antero Gustafsson, Kaunisto also has a group called Jantters, where both men write and translate songs. The initial history of this band is in Helsinki's Bar Mendocino, where Gustafsson and Kaunisto met at Pekka Myllykoski's 60th birthday in 2019. Later, they got together at Gustafsson's cabin to hone their songs, and the band was officially founded on 21 November 2020. Recordings for the band's first album began in June 2021, and the album was released in 2022.[10]
As a solo artist, Kaunisto has in 2021 released his latest album Eilistä vain ['Only Yesterday'], named after the Willie Nelson song "Yesterday's Wine", with Tuomas Metsberg and His Strangers as the backing band. The album contains ten country classics in Finnish translations, the lyrics of which are all written by Kaunisto himself. Blues News'review of the album states the following:[2]
| “ | The songs are played largely in the style of the original versions. The style is neither that of Finnish rock or schlager, but honest country music, which they know how to execute so well. At its best, country music is seemingly just plain music and easygoing storytelling, without any unnecessary expounding. Many people think they can do it, but that is not always the case. On this record, the band works exactly as it should. | ” |
The website Rajatapauksia writes about the album as follows:[11]
| “ | Kaunisto draws from the same outlaw sources as Freud Marx Engels & Jung, but maybe with a bit more sophistication, not in the well-known brutal style of that band. Nevertheless, this is not entertainment gala country, but genuine storytelling about broken hearts and booze drinking. The songs are good throughout. Most of them are beautiful and melancholic songs, genuine country music. Only the last two songs are more of rockers. "Poreilevaan tuoppiin tuijotan" [Bubbles in My Beer] has a Cajun feel to it, but otherwise the mood is either nostalgic and sadly uplifting and the music feels like barn dance music. Just the way it should be in country music. | ” |
As a translator
Besides writing songs, Kaunisto has distinguished himself, since around 2015, as a translator of American country songs.[2][4] He has translated into Finnish songs from e.g. Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson. In his translations, he strives to recreate the original contents in the Finnish language:[5][11]
| “ | I believe that when you translate, the story should remain the same as much as possible. If you think of the story as images, they should be pretty much the same, irrespective of whether the language is English of Finnish.
Country music is about storytelling, and in the texts the story is essential. I have tried to honor the original story as much as possible, although e.g. American cities appear as Finnish cities in my texts. |
” |
Translations by Kaunisto have been recorded e.g. by the late Finnish rock musician Jussi Raittinen on his last release Rokaten tieni meen ['I will live my life rocking and rolling'] (2023)[5] (Kaihon laineet, Poreilevaan tuoppiin tuijotan). On the same record there is also an original song by Kaunisto, entitled "Country Music & Honky Tonkin' ", which Raittinen translated into Finnish as "Kantrimusaa ja honkytonkkii".[12]
The following has been said about Kaunisto's translations:[2][13]
| “ | It is especially heartwarming that the translations are successful across the board. No shortcuts have been taken in the rhymes, but neither does he indulge in them. Ingredients from the original stories have been included in the songs in a delightful abundance. Even if some of the subtleties of the texts fall on deaf ears, the message gets across without the listener having to exert himself in hearing them. | ” |
Noteworthy translations
- Kaihon laineet, originally Sea of Heartbreak (Paul Hampton and Hal David, sung by Don Gibson)
- Tekiks Freukkaritkin näin, originally Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way (Waylon Jennings)
- Poreilevaan tuoppiin tuijotan, originally Bubbles In My Beer (Cindy Walker, Bob Wills, Tommy Duncan, performed by Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys)
- Piittaavan kai luulee mun, originally She Thinks I Still Care (Dickey Lee and Steve Duffy, sung by George Jones)
- On ovet auki, originally Swinging Doors (Merle Haggard)
- Eilistä vain, originally Yesterday's Wine (Willie Nelson)
- Pullot tyhjät, pääni täys, originally You're Still On My Mind (Jeff Daniels)
- Mut blaadatkaa kun tyhjää potkaisen, originally Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die (Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon, Rich Alves, John Colgin ja Mike McQuerry; sung by Willie Nelson feat. Snoop Dogg, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson)
Bands
- Johnny B. D. & The Gasoline Guys[3]
- Kaunisto, Tuomas Metsberg, Lasse Sirkko
- Jantters[1][3]
- Kaunisto, Tuomas Metsberg, Antero Gustafsson, Sami Laakso
- Finnish Highwaymen[3][14]
- Janne Kaunisto, Larry Peninsula, Nuori Hector, Petsku Lemström
- Freud, Marx, Engels & Jung Tribute Band[1][3][14]
- Kaunisto, Tuomas Metsberg, Arto Pajukallio, et al.
- The Mavericks Tribute[3][14]
Discography
Solo
- Eilistä vain ('Only Yesterday'), privately released, 2021. JKPCD0001 (CD and vinyl).[7]
- Track listing
- All lyrics translated by Janne Kaunisto.
Side one No. Title Music Original song Length 1. "On ovet auki" Merle Haggard Swinging Doors 2:31 2. "Eilistä vain" Willie Nelson Yesterday's Wine 2:39 3. "Nyt on raitaa" Johnny Cash I Got Stripes 2:08 4. "Pullot tyhjät, pääni täys" Jeff Daniels You're Still On My Mind 3:04 5. "Vuoksi menneen" Kris Kristofferson For The Good Times 3:36 Side two No. Title Music Original song Length 1. "Kaihon laineet" Paul Hampton, Hal David Sea of Heartbreak 2:32 2. "Poreilevaan tuoppiin tuijotan" Tommy Duncan, Cindy Walker, Bob Wills Bubbles in My Beer 2:24 3. "Piittaavan kai luulee mun" Dickey Lee, Steve Duffy She Thinks I Still Care 3:30 4. "Mut blaadatkaa kun tyhjää potkaisen" Willie Nelson, Buddy Cannon, Rich Alves, John Colgin, Mike McQuerry Roll Me Up And Smoke Me When I Die 3:10 5. "Tekiks Freukkaritkin näin?" Waylon Jennings Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way 2:38
Johnny B. D. & The Gasoline Guys
- It's Good To Be Home Cowboys / Johnny Remember Me (CD single), 2010 (JUPITERCINCD 008)[7]
- On The Rails, Wagon Wheels Records, WWRCD 0001, 2014.[7][15]
- Trio, JPKRCD 0001, 2019.[7]
Jantters
Private life
Kaunisto studied pedagogy at Turku University and graduated in 2022. The title of his master's thesis[16] was "Kyl' se oli semmost' eloonjäämistaisteluu välill'" ['I have to say that it was at times a kind of a fight for survival'], and it deals with "the phenomenon of reality shock that newly graduated teachers experience when they begin to work as teachers". Kaunisto has earlier worked as a teacher in comprehensive schools in Espoo, but he now works in the Kotka-Hamina area.[17]
External links
References
- ^ a b c d e "Jantters — Perse eellä puuhun jo vuodesta 2020" [Jantters — up a tree with our asses first]. jantters.fi. Jantters. 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Marko Aho (May 2021). "Levyarvio: Janne Kaunisto". Blues News (5/2012). Helsinki: Finnish Blues Society ry. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Janne Kaunisto". starpoint.fi. StarPoint Oy. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b Pauliina Vilpakka (3 March 2023). "Raumalla esiintyvä Janne Kaunisto kertoo, miten kantribiisit kääntyvät englannista suomeksi". SV24.fi. Pori: Satakunnan Viikko. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Janne Kaunisto on kantrimies". Reimari. Haminan talousalueen uutislehti. Hamina. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Suonna Kononen, Olli Nurmi (2018). "Hilloa Grammy-voittajalta — toisen polven suomikantrimies Tuomas Metsberg". Mystiset metsätyömiehet ja keskikalja-cowboyt ['Mystical lumberjacks and light beer cowboys']. Turku: Sammakko. p. 554. ISBN 978-952-483-361-5.
- ^ a b c d e f "JOHNNY B.D. & THE GASOLINE GUYS / JANNE KAUNISTO / JANTTERS". Kantripedia.fi. Blues News. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Maija Paloposki (3 May 2014). "Johnny B.D. & The Gasoline Guys valmiina valloittamaan" ['Johnny B.D. & The Gasoline Guys ready to conquer [the country]']. Loimaan Lehti. Loimaa: Priimus Media Oy. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "JOHNNY B.D. & THE GASOLINE GUYS - TRIO CD". 8raita.fi. Turku. 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Marko Aho, Antero Gustafsson, Kalle Vanhapelto (2021). Jaetut retket, kerrotut tarinat. Maaseutumusiiki.fi. pp. 471–472. ISBN 978-952-94-5212-5.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Mika (28 July 2021). "Janne Kaunisto — Eilistä vain". Rajatapauksia. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Jussi & The Boys – Rokaten Tieni Meen". Discogs.com. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Pete Hoppula (1 January 2024). "Levyarvio: Jussi & The Boys". Blues News (1/2024). Helsinki: Finnish Blues Society ry. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ a b c "Menokone: Roots Tuesdayn vieraana Janne Kaunisto". hs.fi. Helsinki: Sanoma. 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Johnny B.D. & The Gasoline Guys – On The Rails". discogs.com. Discogs. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ https://www.utupub.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/153455/Kaunisto_Janne_Pro_gradu.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
- ^ Kaunisto, Janne (2 March 2022). ""Kyl' se oli semmost' eloonjäämistaisteluu välill' ": Aloittavien opettajien kokemuksia todellisuusshokista". Utupub.fi. Turku: Turun yliopisto. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
Category:1991 births Category:People from Loimaa Category:People from Kotka Category:Finnish schoolteachers Category:Finnish male singer-songwriters Category:Finnish translators Category:Living people