In 1980 six schoolboys started to make music together. After two weeks already they got an opportunity to play for a big audience at the Vanemuine Concert Hall in Tartu. The band’s name Miks JUTITA was compiled from the first letters of the boys’ names: J – Jaan Elgula, U - Urmas Helin, T – Toomas Lunge, I – Ivo Peetso, T – Tiit Nikopensius, A - Andres Dvinjaninov. They played mostly country and western music, but later also bluegrass, Nashville sound, folk, blues, and rock. Many songs were taken from the repertoire of Hot Rice, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Hank

Williams, etc: Black Mountain Rag, Foggy Breakdown, Duelling Banjos, Take Me Home Country Road, Annie’s Song, I’m For Love.

Soon some band members left and were replaced by others, so the name was changed into Justament, the English equivalent of which would be Just That, That’s It, or Exactly. Nowadays they mostly perform their own songs, having developed a unique style that might be called Estonian country rock. However, Justament has become very popular also because they can play in many different styles. That’s why this band is often invited to various social events and dancing parties, that’s why they are admired by both the young and the old people.

In the 1980s Justament travelled a lot in the former Soviet Union. They have successfully participated in several international festivals. But the leading band members don’t earn their living with gigs only. For example, Toomas Lunge has written and arranged music for films and theatre performances at the State Vanemuine Theatre. Jaan Elgula is the editor of country music broadcasts and host for different shows on the Estonian Radio. Viktor Vassilyev is probably the best solo guitarist and studio musician in this country who has played in many rock groups during the last 25 years. The same applies to the violin virtuoso Indrek Kalda, Professor of Tartu University Viljandi Academy of Culture.

Justament has achieved the status of a cult band on the Estonian popular music scene. One of their numerous hits Prisoner Doesn’t Like The Bars has even been included in the school songbooks now. Its lyrics were directed against the communist regime and the song became almost an anthem for our people when Estonia was striving to regain its independence at the end of the 1980s.

Toomas Lunge – acordion, singing

Jaan Elgula – accoustic guitar, singing

Indrek Kalda – violin

Tiit Kikas – electric violin

Viktor Vassiljev – electric quitars

Alari Piispea – bass

Tiit Kevad – drums