Multe takes its name from the Scandinavian root word for cloudberry , the rare slow-growing sub-arctic bramble fruit found throughout the Nordic countries. A wild plant, it needs sunny exposure and grows in acidic ground where other crops are not possible. The taste is both tart and sweet—like life itself. That’s Multe!
Multe plays traditional acoustic music from the Nordic countries and their immigrant communities in North America. It's music with an incredible energy and drive that is different from other Northern European styles of traditional music. Most of the music is dance music: waltz, polka, schottis / reinlender, tango, hambo, snoa, pols, polska and more!
Multe is committed not only to sharing traditional Nordic music, but also to learning it well. Some of our members have spent countless hours dancing and playing with musicians in the Nordic countries -- from small huts on farms to festival hall dance floors. A number of our members regularly study with “tradition bearers†and master teachers through personal instruction and courses offered in Norden and North America, allowing Multe to learn and polish their material "in tradition," adding an authenticity and ease to Multe’s performances and presentations.
Multe grew out of the rich Nordic-American music and heritage scene in Northfield, Minnesota USA. Members of Multe have performed at folk music/dance venues in Canada, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the USA, including the American Swedish Institute , the Minneapolis Institute of Arts , Musik ved Siljan, Nisswastamman , Nordlek, Norsk Hostfest , the Norwegian Folk Museum, Stavanger's Emigration Festival, among others.