Lena Jonsson & Johanna Juhola - the Power of Polska CD
EAN: 4251329506384
Lena Jonsson & Johanna Juhola’s new album The Power of Polska will be released on 6.3.2026 by the German label Nordic Notes. Bringing together a Swedish fiddle icon and a Finnish accordion innovator, the duo explores the driving force, vitality and expressive depth of the polska through original compositions and traditional tunes.
Lena Jonsson & Johanna Juhola form a Nordic superduo that blends folk traditions from Sweden and Finland with their own compositions, creating a fresh and airy sound shaped by strong melodies, rhythmic intensity and playful improvisation. Both musicians have long international careers as soloists and composers, and in this duo their shared curiosity, creativity and joy of playing meet in a vibrant musical dialogue.
The Power of Polska celebrates the irresistible energy and playful spirit of polska – a rhythm beloved by both Swedish and Finnish folk musicians. For Lena Jonsson & Johanna Juhola, the polska is a joyful musical playground and a space full of layers, variations, and surprises. The duo turns structure into spontaneity, while exploring folk traditions in a fresh and vibrant way.
The album is a mix of original compositions and traditional tunes, each revealing the duo’s curiosity and sense of play.
Childhood Hero nods to quiet problem-solvers, MacGyver-style heroes, and nostalgic 1980s TV theme songs. Polska is My Second Language emerged effortlessly as a refreshing reminder that polska is Johanna’s natural musical tongue. Max Höjd conjures a mischievous tango-dancing character inspired by Swedish road signs. And Power Nap offers a brief, blissful escape from the rush of daily life. Sjuplåtarlåten is a lively and playful Hälsingland polska, inspired by one of Sweden’s most well-known fiddle tunes, Hjortingen. If you’re looking for the perfect soundtrack to a crisp, crystal-clear winter day, look no further. Ispolskan was composed in northern Sweden on an exceptionally cold January day. Röda Valsen was written as a wedding waltz, but when the wedding was postponed due to Covid, the piece was forgotten. A few years later, Lena rescued it from the depths of her phone’s voice memos, where it had been patiently waiting.
Johanna Juhola is a genre-defying accordion virtuoso and composer widely regarded as a visionary reformer of accordion music. Known for her imaginative, story-driven compositions and fearless crossing of stylistic borders, her work draws from Finnish and Argentinian tango, Nordic folk traditions and contemporary influences. Her highly original output and collaborations across folk, classical, jazz and electronic music have earned her international recognition, including the Nordic Composer’s Award (NPU Prize) in 2022.
Lena Jonsson is one of Scandinavia’s most visionary folk musicians, celebrated for her ability to balance deep knowledge of traditional Swedish music with innovative artistic sensibilities, infectious joy of life and rock-star charisma. Her distinctive fiddle style draws inspiration from Swedish folk traditions as well as rock, pop and American old-time and bluegrass. As the leader of the acclaimed Lena Jonsson Trio, she has received numerous awards, including a Swedish Grammis, the Manifest Prize, multiple Swedish Folk Awards and Artist of the Year honours.
The Power of Polska was recorded both in studio and in resonant acoustic spaces, capturing the raw energy and intimacy of the duo’s sound. The album highlights the strong musical connection between two distinctive artistic voices and presents polska as a powerful meeting point between tradition, innovation and personal expression.
