Paul Dahlin and the Äkta Spelmän (the "genuine fiddlers")

Swedish American fiddlers
Minnesotan Paul Dahlin - fiddler, violin repairman, composer, festival organizer, and cultural spokesman - is the American "taproot" to one of Sweden's most venerable and widely admired regional music, that of the province of Dalarna.
Even fiddle devotees in Sweden look to him as the principal repository of a treasured old repertoire and performing style that has virtually been forgotten in their own homeland. In 1994, in recognition of his outstanding contributions as a keeper and teacher of Swedish American musical traditions, Paul was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts. For this year's National Folk Festival, Paul has put together an ensemble featuring young Swedish-American performers. He makes a point of his excitement about the next generation of musicians and marvels not only at their interest, but also at their exceptional talent. In addition to Paul himself, the Äkta Spelmän ensemble includes Paul's 16-year-old son, Daniel Dahlin, on fiddle, and his wife, Marikay Dahlin , on bass. Also joining the Dahlins are three talented sisters, Raine, Meredith and Carina Biddle. Raine, 20, plays second fiddle and Meredith, 17, plays cittra (zither) and guitar. Carina, 16, is also a fiddler who plays melody or harmonies "as she feels the need," says Paul. Raine and Meredith will be coming home from Sweden just in time to perform at this year's festival. (Raine was this year's recipient of a grant to study traditional music in Sweden from the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.) Daniel is the recipient for 2001.

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Music Sampler : Thankfulla Laten av Paul Dahlin