Live at the Nordic Roots Festival
Väsentakes  the ancient melodies and rhythms of their native Sweden and gooses them up with  a canny mix of jazzy harmony and rock and roll energy. And onLive at the  Nordic Roots Festival, the roars of approval from the crowd show it  appreciates the band's near-perfect synthesis of old and new. The 10 tracks,  which include compositions from each of the four band members, feature inspiring  displays of instrumental virtuosity, particularly from nyckelharpa master Olov  Johansson. On every selection he skillfully meshes the haunting, archaic drone  of his instrument with the more contemporary sounds of Mikael Marin's viola,  Roger Tallroth's guitar, and the eclectic drumming of André Ferrari. As  an extra treat, Väsen shares the stage with the Norwegian fiddler Annbjorg  Lien on the Tallroth-written "Dragos" and with Harv fiddlers Magnus Stinnerbom  and Daniel Sanden-Warg on a medley of traditional Swedish dance tunes.  Väsen's blend of medieval and modern honors the music of the past, even as  it redefines the traditional.--Michael Simmons