Keeris

Keeris

Keeris was an Estonian pop music ensemble active for approximately a decade. Hailing from Pärnu, the group released a single four-song 7’’ vinyl EP in 1985. Two of Keeris’s songs were also featured on the Pärnu-themed compilation album “Pärnaõie laulud” in 1984. The band's repertoire primarily comprised original compositions by Jaan Laur, alongside cover versions of Western pop songs, with lyrics often translated by backup dancer Helle Soop. Keeris also contributed to the musical film “Võõrad öös,” recording phonograms for the novelty band Kuldne Trio, also from Pärnu. Despite their activity, the song “Öö ja päev” (“Day and Night”) by Jaan Laur and the instrumental track “Kujutlus” (“Vision”) by Jevgeni Abdullajev remained unreleased.

Formation and Early Years

Established in the spring of 1977, Keeris emerged from a local dance collective formed a year prior by the Pärnu Culture and Recreation Centre. The initial lineup featured Valdur Tamm on drums, Jaan Laur on keyboards, Mati Murumaa on solo guitar, Rein Toots on rhythm guitar, Rein Eesmaa on bass guitar, and Viktor Hansen on vocals. Tamm, Murumaa, and Eesmaa were already established musicians in Pärnu, having played in various guitar bands during the 1960s beat music era. Valdur Tamm was also a founding member of the band Fix and later known for his drumming with Kogudus. The band's name, Keeris, meaning "maelstrom" or "vortex" in Estonian, was conceived by Tamm and Murumaa. The group later expanded its stage presence with backup dancers and hired lighting and sound engineers.

Lineup Changes and Later Activity

Mati Murumaa departed the band shortly after its formation, joining Kuldne Trio as a full member. He was succeeded by Jevgeni Abdullajev, and Rein Eesmaa was later replaced by Mart Kivisild. In 1982, Ardo Juhkov joined as the band's soloist after moving to Pärnu from Järvakandi, while former sound engineer Ülo Valtenberg took over bass duties. Kalmar Koit played guitar on the 1985 vinyl release. Keeris disbanded by 1987. Throughout its existence, Keeris performed extensively across Estonia and participated in music festivals in Šiauliai (Pärnu's twin town), Siberia, Podolsk, and Finland. The ensemble also made frequent appearances on television and radio.