Jaak Johanson
b. 15 Dec 1959, Tartu, South-Estonia

Active fascination with traditional music and singing from 1976, when joined group Leegajus - students, folklorists, enthusiasts, one of the few, that made efforts to draw attention to authentic unique Estonian singing and playing ways, specially thousand years old runosinging. Visited festivals in Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Moscow, Leningrad etc...

In 1982 graduated with a degree in acting. In 1982-87 worked as an actor at the Tallinn Town Theatre. In 1987, together with an outstanding Estonian director Merle Karusoo and some young actors and students, formed an independent socio-historical theatre project Pirgu Memory Group and for 5 years actively toured in Estonia, collecting diaries, songbooks, photos, etc..., recording and video recording the lifestories of the older generation who had had no chance to speak out, since the Soviet occupation was established in 1945. Several silently shocking documentary-based performances and song and story compositions was the outcome and artistic mission of these tours. The whole gathered archive is still being processed and systemathised properly.

Since 1987 also at the Old Town House of Music within the framework of a wider cultural-educational project in the medieval city of Tallinn, being the leader of the folklore program. During Conservatory also sang jazz with several groups in solo and quartet. Later has been performing more in solo and with family group of three brothers and a sister. Has made radio programs about traditional music of different nations.

If no way to escape, has also appeared on TV and made recordings, but preferes more eye to eye, face to face situations…