From left: Matti Mäkelä, Antti Järvelä, Johanna Juhola, Ville Ojanen and Timo Alakotila.

Biography Troka formed in spring 1993 in Kaustinen, Finland. June 1993: Troka wins first prize in Folk Music Group Master Competition in Mäntsälä. July 1993: Devastated the audience at Kaustinen Folk Festival. THE hot ticket among new bands. Within days, a recording deal with Olarin Musiikki was set. April 1994: Debut CD released by Olarin Musiikki of Finland. (OMCD 54) Material includes seven original compositions, six trad tunes and one cover of famous Finnish march by Jorma Panula. June 1994: Performed at Skagen Festival, Denmark. 1996: Swedish tour 1997: Nordic Lights convention, Falun, Sweden. German tour, Rudolstadt Festival, Germany. Vossa Jazz Festival, Norway Jan. 1998: North American release of Troka debut album on North Side records label, USA. May 9, 1998: live performance on US nationally broadcast radio program Prairie Home Companion. May 10: Concert at Cedar Cultural Centre, Minneapolis, MN, USA. May 11: Knitting Factory, NYC March, 1999: Troka released their second album, SMASH, featuring an abundance of new original pieces by Ville, Matti and Timo. Finnish version by Folk Music Institute of Finland and US version courtesy of NorthSide of USA. Coinciding with the release was an appearance at the Nordic Roots Festival in Minneapolis, sharing the bill with Swedish band Väsen. Summer, 1999: SMASH is licensed to Resistencia label of Spain. November 19, 1999: Merlin Theatre performance, Budapest, Hungary Feb 18, 2000: Lillehammer Winter Arts Festival, Norway March 2000: tour of Spain 2006. Released third album Raharinki (TROKACD 001)

Line-Up VILLE OJANEN (fiddle, viola, mandolin) — Kappelin Pelimannit, Krannin Laki, Folkkarit (chief composer and arranger), Sikiät, Kairelan Prikaati, Ottoset dance group (arranger). Studies music in University of Jyväskylä. Composed music for dance theatre work HENRIK in Kaustinen, 1997. More recently has released a CD by his project Ville Ojanen and Rautavaara, also involved with previous projects Loiskis Children's Music Orchestra, Qwenland and Arctic Factory. Produced the debut album by group Snekka. MATTI MÄKELÄ (fiddle) — First group Kropsu, age 14. Followed by Kappelin Pelimannit, Krannin Laki, Sikiät and JPP. Also studied classical music in Stockholm and in Kokkola Conservatory. JOHANNA JUHOLA (accordion) — Studies at Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department. Previously with group Mimmit and has performed in several Finnish tango orchestras. More recent projects include Duo Milla Viljamaa & Johanna Juhola, Las Chicas del Tango, Spontaani Vire and Novjaro. Also works with Timo Alakotila and violinist Pekka Kuusisto. TIMO ALAKOTILA (harmonium, piano) — Isät ja Pojat, Järvelän Pelimannit, Hot Club de Kairela, JPP, Järvelän Näppärit, Maria Kalaniemi & Aldargaz, Luna Nova. Composed four part work, “Folkmoods West”, for JPP and big band. Teaches at Sibelius Academy Folk Music Department and at Helsinki Pop and Jazz Conservatory. Composes and arranges and produces for many well known Finnish artists, in folk music and other genres. ANTTI JÄRVELÄ (double bass) - Multi-intrumentalist lays with JPP and Frigg as well as other lesser known bands.

Discography Raharinki (2006) (not pictured) Smash (1999) Left: Folk Music Institute, Finland, 1999, KICD 63. Right: NorthSide, USA, NSD 6029. Resistencia, Spain, RSCD. Troka (1994) Left: Olarin Musiikki Finland, 1994, OMCD 54. Right: North Side, USA, NSD 6009.    International mail order of Troka recordings: Digelius Music North Side Records