Record Reviews
31 Reviews Found. Use search to find more reviews or follow the links in the review text.
  | OLLI AHVENLAHTI / UMO ~ SEAWINDS: THE COMPLETE YLE STUDIO RECORDINGS 1976-1981
SVART 171 (Barcode: 6430065583486) ~ FINLAND ~ Big Band Jazz
Recorded: 1976 - 1981 Released: 2018
This is an archival album collecting all the recordings by Finnish keyboardist / composer Olli AhvenlahtiFind albums by this artist recorded with the superb UMOFind albums by this artist Jazz Orchestra for the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company). The album presents fifteen tracks, including the five-part "Seawinds" suite, which gave the album its title. All the music was composed and arranged by Ahvenlahti.
UMO, founded in 1975, turned out to be Finland´s most renowned Jazz Big Band / Orchestra, active to this very day. Over the years its ranks included the absolute who’s who of the Finnish Jazz scene, as well as numerous international guests, and produced a remarkable recording legacy.
On these recordings the UMO was in its early days, but already offered a remarkable level of professionalism and talent, as well as a typical European approach to the Big Band Jazz sound and style. It included such formidable players as saxophonists Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist, Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist, Pentti LahtiFind albums by this artist and Paroni PaakkunainenFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Kaj BacklundFind albums by this artist, trombonist Mircea StanFind albums by this artist, pianist Heikki SarmantoFind albums by this artist, bassists Pekka SarmantoFind albums by this artist and Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, drummer Esko RosnellFind albums by this artist and many others. Ahvenlahti played keyboards and the orchestra was conducted by Esko LinnavalliFind albums by this artist. Three of the tracks feature the wonderful vocalist Irina MilanFind albums by this artist, singing music composed to Finnish poetry.
The music is beautifully melodic and at the same time complex enough to keep the listener on his toes. The superb Big Band arrangements and wonderful soloing turns this album into an excellent listening experience, which is fresh and full of youthful energy with a slight Fusion tinge. All the sections of the Big Band are perfectly utilized to create a big sound, but the listener is able to hear each individual; instrument. The excellent rhythm section drives the music forward with zest and elegance.
Overall this is a great Big Band Jazz album that lost nothing of its power and freshness over time and sounds every bit as exciting as it did at the time of the recording. For European Big Band Jazz fans this is a true feast and for the many UMO followers around the world this is an absolute must have. Wholeheartedly recommended!
| | Updated: 12/07/2020Posted: 12/07/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | ELMA ~ HIC ET NUNC
IMP 101 ~ POLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014
This is the debut album by female Polish Jazz vocalist, who hides behind the pseudonym ElmaFind albums by this artist, recorded with Finnish trumpeter Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist (son of the Finnish Jazz legend Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist) and two great polish musicians: pianist Dominik WaniaFind albums by this artist and bassist Maciej GarbowskiFind albums by this artist. The album presents eleven original compositions, seven of which are by Elma, three by Garbowski and the remaining one by Pohjola. The album was recorded at the legendary Studio Tokarnia, with Jan SmoczynskiFind albums by this artist presiding, and with spectacular, as usual, sonic results.
To put things straight, vocals in this case mean vocalese, i.e. wordless vocal phrases, which basically represent the human voice as just another instrument, placing it on the same level as the rest of the musicians involved. Stylistically the music is much more organized and melodic than one might expect by reading the liner notes, which basically suggest a lot of spontaneous improvisation, which is definitely present here but does not dominate the proceedings. On the contrary the majority of the music consists of clearly defined musical themes, which must have been rehearsed before the actual recording. Of course there is nothing wrong with such approach. Musical birds tell me that large part of the recorded music stays unreleased, so perhaps this album includes the more melodic content and the forthcoming one will present the spontaneously improvised pieces?
Elma seems to be more involved in vocalese than any other female Polish Jazz vocalist at the moment, most of which use vocalese sparingly and prefer singing lyrics. Personally I always preferred the instrumental approach to human voice and therefore this album is a breath of fresh air in that department. Elma uses a wide variety of vocal paraphernalia, moving between scat, modulation, syllables or simply singing notes. The actual tone of her voice is perhaps an acquired taste, but the overall result is very unique and enjoyable.
The instrumentalists are all quite spectacular, which in their case is not surprising. Wania arises as one of the absolute best Polish Jazz pianists and everything he touches simply turns into the proverbial gold. Garbowski, who is one of my personal favorites since quite a while, also delivers some incredible bass lines, which keep this music afloat, especially in a drumless environment. Pohjola plays some tasty trumpet solos, but his input is a bit too predictable for me personally, although many listeners addicted to the Nordic Jazz sound will surely love it.
This is definitely one of the most interesting debuts (so far) in 2014 and deserves a lot of love and attention, simply to show daring musicians that conventions mean very little as far as good Art is concerned. Of course similar attitude towards vocals was already displayed several decades ago, including those of Urszula DudziakFind albums by this artist in Poland, but hearing someone trying to revive such experimentation is truly refreshing. I´d love to hear more from Elma and this quartet, hopefully in a not too distant future. Well done indeed!
| | Updated: 29/02/2016Posted: | CD 1 Mini-Sleeve Recommend To A Friend |
  | EERO KOIVISTOINEN ~ THE FRONT IS BREAKING
LOVE 188 ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1976
Apart from Edward VesalaFind albums by this artist, Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist is probably the most well known Finnish jazz musician outside of his native country, due to his US residency and numerous recordings around the world. Deeply influenced by John ColtraneFind albums by this artist, he started his jazz adventure playing free jazz in cahoots with Edward Vesala and Pekka SarmantoFind albums by this artist as early as 1964 (which was about the time European free jazz was developing fiercely). Later on he moved away from free jazz and concentrated more on structured and carefully composed music. By the time this album was recorded, the jazz world was deeply involved in the Jazz-Rock Fusion explosion, following Miles DavisFind albums by this artist’ pioneering work in the field and later on groups like John McLaughlinFind albums by this artist’s Mahavishnu OrchestraFind albums by this artist. Inspired by these developments, Koivistoinen decided to record a fusion album, for which he composed the music. The carefully assembled a dreamy combo to record the music, in which he gathered the best Scandinavian musicians from both the jazz and Progressive Rock genres, including Esko RosnellFind albums by this artist (drums) and Olli AhvenlahtiFind albums by this artist (piano) – Finland / jazz, Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist (guitar – Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist) and Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist (bass – WigwamFind albums by this artist) – Finland / Prog and Wlodek GulkowskiFind albums by this artist (keyboards) and Georg WadeniusFind albums by this artist (guitar – Blood, Sweat & TearsFind albums by this artist) - Sweden (well Gulkowski was a Polish refugee) / Fusion. The result is surely one of the best, most sophisticated and musically uplifting fusion albums ever recorded and an absolute must for any fan of the genre. This was to be the only fusion album Koivistoinen would record, as he returned to “pure” jazz soon after.
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ B THE MAGPIE
ESOTERIC 2176 (Barcode: 5013929727625) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2010
2nd album by Finnish bassist / composer Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest Prog musicians of all times, who was a founding member of the legendary Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist. Accompanied by the top Finnish Jazz and Prog players of the time: saxophonists Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist, Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist and Paroni PaakkunainenFind albums by this artist, trumpeter Bertil LofgrenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Coste ApetreaFind albums by this artist and drummer Tomi ParkkonenFind albums by this artist, the band performs music composed by Pohjola, which stylistically moves between Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pohjola´s extraordinary talent, both as a bassist and especially as a composer, were already magnificent at the time and would accompany him throughout his entire life, resulting in magnificent achievements, cut short only by his premature and tragic death in 2008. In retrospect this early effort is a milestone for European Prog and firmly establishes the superb Finnish contribution to the genre. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the VirginFind albums on this label label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary LoveFind albums on this label label. Absolutely essential!
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ CHANGING WATERS
POHJOLA 5 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
10th album from 1992 which marks the current direction of Pekka`s work - a symbiosis of many musical styles with each of the tracks on the album presenting a different face of the multi-faced and multi-talented musical genius at work. Superb musicianship and brilliant compositions.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ FLIGHT OF THE ANGEL
POHJOLA 04 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
9th album from 1986 on which Pekka comes back closest to Symphonic Prog since his 70`s albums. His regular quartet is supported here by a group of guest musicians and the resulting music is rich and powerful. This album is considered by many to be one the top Symphonic Prog albums of all times.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ HARAKKA BIALOIPOKKU (B THE MAGPIE)
LOVE 118 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
2nd solo album from 1974 by this brilliant Finnish musician, known as the bass player of the legendary group Wigwam. Fantastic music in the Jazz-Rock vein performed by the cream of Finnish musicians of that period. Extended compositions and improvisations. This was the first Finnish album to be also released in UK (on the Virgin label) due to the fact that Pekka was a member of Mike Oldfield`s band.
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ HEAVY JAZZ
POHJOLA 07 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
11th album from 1995 and the first official live Pekka album. This double CD presents music recorded by the quartet in Finland and Japan in 1994-1995. The material includes pieces from earlier albums re-arranged and extended for live performance. The musicianship is outstanding all the way thru and a wonderful opportunity to hear the genious at work at first hand.
| | | CD 2 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ JOKAMIES (EVERYMAN)
POHJOLA 02 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
7th album from 1983 which was also a soundtrack for a film of the same title. The music on this albums is darker and more atmopspheric then Pekka`s usual compositions, in order to fit the film`s theme, and the pieces are shorter, but the usual brilliant playing and profound compositions are here.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ KATKAVAARAN LOHIKAARME
FASER 96415 (Barcode: 745099641528) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1980 Released: 1994
5th album by Finnish composer / bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest Scandinavian musicians of all time, recorded with his a brilliant group of musicians and featuring some of his best early music, which combines Rock, Prog and Jazz. The album contains four extended compositions, which serve as a vehicle for the musicians to improvise and express their individual statements. The depth of the compositions and the incredible performances make this into the most perfect album Pohjola created in the first phase of his magnificent career, associated with Prog, whereas his second phase would be dedicated to both contemporary Classical Music and Jazz. Pohjola´s untimely death in 2008 was a tremendous loss to the world of music. This relatively little known Prog masterpiece is very hard to find, so grab it if you get a chance. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ KEESOJEN LEHTO (THE MATHEMATICIAN`S AIR DISPLAY)
LOVE 219 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
3rd solo album from 1976 by this brilliant Finnish Prog musician, recorded while Pekka was playing with Mike Oldfield, who also co-produced this album. Wonderful music and a stellar cast of players (including Pierre Moerlen from Gong) make this one an absolute classic.
| | | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ PEWIT
POHJOLA 8 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
12th album from 1997 which presents Pekka`s recent work with extended and complicated compositions, especially the almost 20 minutes long suite closing the album. Age seems to agree with Pekka and his work here is as good and as intricate as it always was, but mellowed and seasoned by the passing time.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ PIHKASILMA KAARNAKORVA (RESINEYE BARKEAR)
LOVE 071 (Barcode: 6417732010711) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1972 Released: 2002
1st solo album by the brilliant Finnish Prog musician / composer Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, presenting the first of his extended suites, to be followed by many more. Brilliant compositions and superb playing all over by the band, which includes the best Finnish Prog musicians. Pohjola`s extraordinary talent as player and composer were soon to be recognized outside of his home country, when he joined the Mike OldfieldFind albums by this artist´s group.
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ SPACE WALTZ
POHJOLA 03 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
8th album from 1985, this one being more jazzy then any of his previous releases. Pekka`s regular group of players is more or less established by now and this albums provides ample space for everyone to show his chops on the long improvisational pieces. Brilliant compositions as usual.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ THE MATHEMATICIAN`S AIR DISPLAY
ESOTERIC 2177 (Barcode: 5013929727724) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2010
3rd album by Finnish bassist / composer Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest Prog musicians of all times, who was a founding member of the legendary Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist. Accompanied by the top European Jazz and Prog players of the time: Swedish guitarist Georg WadeniusFind albums by this artist, Polish keyboardist Wlodek GulkowskiFind albums by this artist, French drummer Pierre MoerlenFind albums by this artist, Finnish drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist and of course British guitarist Mike OldfieldFind albums by this artist and his sister singer Sally OldfieldFind albums by this artist, the band performs music composed by Pohjola, which stylistically moves between Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pohjola´s extraordinary talent, both as a bassist and especially as a composer, were already magnificent at the time and would accompany him throughout his entire life, resulting in magnificent achievements, cut short only by his premature and tragic death in 2008. In retrospect this early effort is a milestone for European Prog and firmly establishes the superb Finnish contribution to the genre. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the VirginFind albums on this label label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary LoveFind albums on this label label. Absolutely essential!
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ URBAN TANGO
POHJOLA 01 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
6th album from 1982, the first on Pekka`s own record label. By the time this album was released it was already obvious that Pekka is one of the greatest musicians in the field of Prog and not only as a virtuoso bass player but also as a brilliant composer. His music is a fusion of Prog, jazz, conteporary classical and world elements. This album is another step in a series of his masterpieces.
| | | CD 1 Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ VIEWS
POHJOLA 12 ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
13th album from 2001. It`s a pity that the pauses between new Pekka`s albums are becomeing longer, but the good news is that this one was well worth waiting for. This is a menumental work by a seasoned composer and player, accompanied alongside his regulat quartet by a stellar collection of Finnish players. The music is as beautiful as always, perhaps a bit more `somber` then before.
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | PEKKA POHJOLA ~ VISITATION
WARNER MUSIC FINLAND 8805 (Barcode: 5050466880529) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1979 Released: 2003
4th album by Finnish composer / bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest Scandinavian musicians of all time, recorded with a brilliant group of musicians and featuring some of his best early music, which combines Rock, Prog and Jazz. The album contains six extended compositions, which serve as a vehicle for the musicians to improvise and express their individual statements. The depth of the compositions and the incredible performances make this into the most perfect album Pohjola created in the first phase of his magnificent career, associated with Prog, whereas his second phase would be dedicated to both contemporary Classical Music and Jazz. Pohjola´s untimely death in 2008 was a tremendous loss to the world of music. This relatively little known Prog masterpiece is very hard to find, so grab it if you get a chance. Brilliant stuff!
| | | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | VERNERI POHJOLA ~ AURORA
TEXICALI 094 (Barcode: 6417698090949) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2008 Released: 2009
This is the debut album as a leader by Finnish Jazz trumpeter / composer Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist conceived and recorded over an extended period of time by several lineups, which feature many top Finnish Jazz musicians, including Verneri´s father bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist brother trombonist Ilmari PohjolaFind albums by this artist, as well as legendary flautist Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist and a string quartet. The album presents eight tracks, seven of which are original compositions by Verneri and one is an arrangement of "Concierto de Aranjuez" by Joaquin RodrigoFind albums by this artist (which trumpeters seem to favor). The album was released following Pekka´s death and is dedicated to him.
The music is quite diverse and offers a wide range of moods and stylistic references, and accordingly also challenges for the trumpet performances. It encompasses Classical Music influences as well as Jazz in all its forms from deeply melodic and typically Nordic climates to free form vistas. Although the music does not focus on a specific concept, it consistently shows a coherent compositional ability and aesthetics, which is rate for musicians that young.
The performances are, as expected, stellar in every way. Verneri´s trumpet soars high and confident throughout the proceedings and the accompanying musicians create an ideal environment to support the often complex ideas. There are so many details and individual touches on this album that it requires several listening sessions to discover them all, with each and every one of those being highly deserving.
Overall this is an excellent debut outing, which was (in retrospect) a good omen of things to come. Finnish Jazz managed to sustain and develop its superb level of accomplishments for the last half a century, always being one of my favorites and proudly representing the European Jazz capabilities at their best. Although not new, this album surely deserves the effort of finding a copy and plunge into its music, as it is definitely timeless.
| | Updated: 22/01/2021Posted: 22/01/2021 | CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend |
  | VERNERI POHJOLA ~ PEKKA
EDITION 1092 (Barcode: 5060509790074) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2017 Released: 2017
This is the sixth album by Finnish Jazz trumpeter / composer Verneri PohjolaFind albums by this artist recorded in a quintet setting with keyboardist Tuomo PrattalaFind albums by this artist, guitarist Teemu ViinikainenFind albums by this artist, bassist Antti LotjonenFind albums by this artist and drummer Mika KallioFind albums by this artist. The album presents seven compositions by legendary Finnish bassist / composer Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, who was Verneri´s father.
In the liner notes of the album Verneri explains the background of his decision to record his father´s music, despite the complex personal relationship with him as a result of his parents divorce when Verneri was just two years old, which resulted in him being raised by his mother with almost no contact with his father. Additional complexity arose from the "son of…" syndrome, from which many children of famous people suffer from, being constantly measured up to their parents, mostly completely out of context. As Verneri states, he decided to make this album only when he felt he could "make the music sound his own"; not surprisingly Verneri dedicates this album to his mother Inkeri.
I feel particularly lucky to know personally both Pekka and his son Verneri. I met Pekka in London, when Finnish Progressive Rock fist managed to conquer the international scene and when his albums were released on VirginFind albums on this label Records. Later on I met him several times in Finland during my visits there. We kept in touch for years and he sent me his albums regularly. His death in 2008 at a ridiculous young age was a blow for me since I always loved both him and his music dearly. I met Verneri in Poland when he joined the Polish Jazz trio RGGFind albums by this artist and I was present at the concert hall where their live album "City Of Gardens" was recorded. The following year I invited RGG and Verneri to perform at my Singer Jazz Festival in Warsaw. Of course we are now in touch – life and music continue…
The music Verneri chose to perform on this album was originally released on the following four brilliant albums by Pekka (his 1st, 2nd, 5th and 10th releases): "Pihkasilma Kaarnakorva (Resineye Barkear)Find albums with this title", "B The MagpieFind albums with this title", "Katkavaaran LohikaarmeFind albums with this title" and "Changing WatersFind albums with this title" released between 1972 and 1992 and presenting a wide spectrum of Pekka´s diverse compositions. Listeners familiar with the original recordings will be surprised by Verneri´s adaptations, which bring the music up to date and transform them stylistically into modern Jazz, but carefully preserve the original melody lines and the intrinsic melancholy that always characterized Pekka´s music. Verneri´s trumpet symbolically represents the second generation, whereas the guitar reflects the Rocky roots of the first generation. Whichever way one wants to look at it, the music is absolutely brilliant from start to finish and completely relevant on its own even to listeners oblivious of its origins. I am happy to see that Verneri managed to overcome his fears and psychological barriers, to create an exceptional example of cross-generation continuance.
Overall this is a brilliant piece of music, bridging musical styles and concepts, which takes no prisoners and is completely overwhelming in every way. Verneri plays some sublime trumpet lines on this album and the rest of the quintet all contribute amicably and ably to create a timeless musical experience. As such I can only recommend this album to all true music lovers, young and old, everywhere in the world where great music is appreciated.
| | Updated: 13/02/2021Posted: 15/01/2021 | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
  | JUKKA TOLONEN RAMBLIN` JAZZ BAND / KOM QUARTET ~ JAZZ LIISA VOL. 03 & VOL. 04
SVART 024 (Barcode: 6430050665807) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion
Recorded: 1973 - 1975 Released: 2016
Guitarist / composer / bandleader Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist moved with ease between Progressive Rock, Fusion and Jazz and was one of the founders of modern Finnish music scene. The band captured during this live radio broadcast features a powerful double rhythm section and includes also trumpeter Mike KoskinenFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, bassists Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist and Heikki VirtanenFind albums by this artist and drummers Reino LaineFind albums by this artist and Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist, a most impressive collection of top Finnish Fusion / Jazz musicians at the time.
They perform only two extended pieces, around twenty minutes each, both composed by Tolonen. The first piece originates from his second album "Summer GamesFind albums with this title" and the second from his debut album "Tolonen!Find albums with this title". Both pieces feature extensive soloing by all participants, including a rare violin solo by Pohjola, who of course is primarily known as a legendary bassist / composer.
The KOM QuartetFind albums by this artist, which was captured here in an expanded sextet lineup featuring two vocalists: Eija OrpanaFind albums by this artist (who also plays violin) and Pertti MelasniemiFind albums by this artist (who also plays percussion) in addition to the four instrumentalists, regular members of the band: pianist Eero OjanenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jukka HauruFind albums by this artist, bassist Tapani TamminenFind albums by this artist and drummer Ari ValtonenFind albums by this artist, were members of the KOM Theatre group of musical / social activists.
They perform six songs (two combined into one track), composed three each by Hauru and Ojanen, all based on the lyrics by the novelist / poet Claes AnderssonFind albums by this artist, who was later on Finland´s Minister of Culture (1995-1998). Although featuring lyrics, these tracks are mostly instrumental and feature extensive soloing by Hauru and Ojanen.
Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early to mid 1970s that one is able to hear and for European Jazz and Fusion connoisseurs this is an absolute must have!
Side Note
The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled.
The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD.
The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes.
This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.
| | Updated: 03/06/2020Posted: 03/06/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ BEING
ESOTERIC 2183 (Barcode: 5013929728325) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2010
4th album by the Finnish Prog Masters WigwamFind albums by this artist marking the arrival of the group at a point of maturity after the initial period of searching for their unique voice, as reflected on their first two releases. This album is often considered as one of the finest examples of Finnish Prog and together with its predecessor "FairyportFind albums with this title" it presents Wigwam as one of Prog´s all time highest achievements. Unfortunately it was also the last studio recording by the original lineup of Wigwam, with the second lineup changing considerably the band´s musical direction. The band´s core: vocalist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist (a British expatriate living in Finland), keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, who was the band´s principal composer, bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist are joined by several guest musicians, mostly woodwind / brass players, including Jazz saxophonists Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist and Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, expanding the overall sound of the basic quartet. The compositions are all outstanding, moody and full of unexpected turns and twists. Superb instrumental sections allow all musicians to express their talents, often moving into lengthy Jazzy improvisations. Pembroke´s English vocals were a great asset for the group and contributed to their immense popularity outside of Finland. Almost four decades after this material was recorded, it still sounds fresh and exciting, ready to be discovered by new generations of music lovers. Absolutely essential!
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ DARK ALBUM (50TH ANNIVERSARY EXTENDED EDITION)
SVART 161 (Barcode: 6430065585213) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1977 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the eighth (and last by the original group) album by the iconic Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist, which featured a new lineup of the group and marked a new period in the band´s career, often referred to as Wigwam Mk. II. Following the departure of keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist and bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, the two remaining members: vocalist / pianist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist were joined by guitarist Pekka RechardtFind albums by this artist and bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist. Keyboardists Jukka Gustavson and Hessu HietanenFind albums by this artist added keyboard work on the tracks but the lineup reverted to a quartet again. The original album presented eight original songs, five composed by Rechardt and three by Pembroke, all featuring lyrics written by Pembroke (except for one, which was a poem), who was a British expatriate and could naturally handle the lyrics in English flawlessly. This remastered and expanded edition adds a second CD, which includes the demo version of the album including first mix of six tracks, which was rejected by VirginFind albums on this label Records (the British label that released the two previous albums in the UK).
The music, although undoubtedly somewhat less strictly Prog oriented, is by all means absolutely brilliant, wonderfully combining the excellent songwriting with perfect performances, full of great instrumental parts. Wigwam were, as it often happened with the capricious Prog fanatics, accused for taking a more commercial path, but the band, which suffered from a dichotomy in its ranks since its inception, was now completely united behind their musical output and quite honestly read well the changing Prog landscape, which pulled many of the classic Prog bands towards a more song oriented direction. Although this album is often described as outwardly commercial, is not really that different from its two predecessors, and the difference is mostly due to the different sound ambience rather than the music itself.
The collected talents of Wigwam´s members still made it one of the best Prog band in Europe and even worldwide, and if not for the fact that they originated from Finland, they would have probably reached to top of the Prog peak. This album was released in the UK and a few other countries, bringing the band some success, but Prog at the time was approaching its global collapse, when the initial creativity of the genre simply dried out. Wigwam decided to call it quits after this album was released and future efforts to resurrect the band proved to be as futile as those of other Prog band around the globe. The magic was simply gone.
This excellently sounding and expanded edition is a must have for Finnish Prog / Wigwam fans all over the globe and SvartFind albums on this label Records, as usual, made a perfect job preparing this reissue. Brilliant stuff!
| | Updated: 11/08/2020Posted: 11/08/2020 | CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ FAIRYPORT
ESOTERIC 2182 (Barcode: 5013929728226) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1971 Released: 2010
3rd album by the Finnish Prog Masters WigwamFind albums by this artist (originally released as a double LP), marking the arrival of the group at a point of maturity after the initial period of searching for their unique voice, as reflected on their first two releases. This album is often considered as one of the finest examples of Finnish Prog and together with its follow up "BeingFind albums with this title" it presents Wigwam as one of Prog´s all time highest achievements. The band´s core: vocalist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist (a British expatriate living in Finland), keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, who was the band´s principal composer, bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist are joined by several guest musicians, mainly guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist, who often cooperated with the band, and woodwind / brass players, including Jazz saxophonists Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist and Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, expanding the overall sound of the basic quartet. The compositions are all outstanding, moody and full of unexpected turns and twists. Superb instrumental sections allow all musicians to express their talents, often moving into lengthy Jazzy improvisations. Pembroke´s English vocals were a great asset for the group and contributed to their immense popularity outside of Finland. Almost four decades after this material was recorded, it still sounds fresh and exciting, ready to be discovered by new generations of music lovers. Absolutely essential!
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Essential Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ LIVE MUSIC FROM THE TWILIGHT ZONE
ESOTERIC 2185 (Barcode: 5013929728523) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 Released: 2010
5th album by the Finnish Prog Masters WigwamFind albums by this artist (originally released as a double LP), marking the end of the original lineup of the band and recorded during their farewell concert tour. The band´s core: vocalist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist (a British expatriate living in Finland), keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, who was the band´s principal composer, bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist is expanded to a quintet with guitarist Pekka RechardtFind albums by this artist joining the group. Soon after these recordings were made Gustavson and Pohjola left the band and it reformed a year later with new musicians replacing them. This album is a superb showcase of Wigwam´s live performances, being the band´s first live recording, as well as showing their musical influences, as the band performs several covers of material written by such diverse musicians as the BeatlesFind albums by this artist and the BandFind albums by this artist, in addition to their own compositions. Several of the tracks are expanded into long instrumental jams, emphasizing the improvisational skills by the band members. With strong Jazzy feel, this album gracefully moves between Prog and Fusion, to the obvious delight of the band´s many fans. In retrospect this album is a great document of the time, capturing the spirit as well as the sound of the most productive period in music history. Essential for all Wigwam fans, but most Prog and Fusion connoisseurs should have a field day with this beauty!
| | | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ LUCKY GOLDEN STRIPES AND STARPOISE (50TH ANNIVERSARY EXTENDED EDITION)
SVART 160 (Barcode: 6430065585206) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the seventh album by the iconic Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist, which featured a new lineup of the group and marked a new period in the band´s career, often referred to as Wigwam Mk. II. Following the departure of keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist and bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, the two remaining members: vocalist / pianist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist were joined by guitarist Pekka RechardtFind albums by this artist and bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist. On this album the lineup was extended to a quintet with the addition of keyboardist Hessu HietanenFind albums by this artist. The original album, which was recorded in London, presented nine original songs, five composed by Rechardt and three by Pembroke, all featuring lyrics written by Pembroke, who was a British expatriate and could naturally handle the lyrics in English flawlessly, and finally one tune was an instrumental co-composed by all five members of the group. This remastered and expanded edition adds a second CD, which includes five alternate mixes and four live studio rehearsals of the tunes from the album, all previously unissued.
The music, although undoubtedly somewhat less strictly Prog oriented, is by all means absolutely brilliant, wonderfully combining the excellent songwriting with perfect performances, full of great instrumental parts. Wigwam were, as it often happened with the capricious Prog fanatics, accused for taking a more commercial path, but the band, which suffered from a dichotomy in its ranks since its inception, was now completely united behind their musical output and quite honestly read well the changing Prog landscape, which pulled many of the classic Prog bands towards a more song oriented direction. Hietanen was a fully integrated member of the band by the time this music was recorded and this changed the entire sound of the group. Although this album is often described as the most commercial of all the Wigwam albums, is not really that different from its predecessor or its successor, and the difference is mostly due to the different sound ambience rather than the music itself.
The collected talents of Wigwam´s members still made it one of the best Prog band in Europe and even worldwide, and if not for the fact that they originated from Finland, they would have probably reached to top of the Prog peak. This album was released in the UK and a few other countries, bringing the band some success, but Prog at the time was approaching its global collapse, when the initial creativity of the genre simply dried out. Wigwam released one more excellent album before calling it quits and future efforts to resurrect the band proved to be as futile as those of other Prog band around the globe. The magic was simply gone.
This excellently sounding and expanded edition is a must have for Finnish Prog / Wigwam fans all over the globe and SvartFind albums on this label Records, as usual, made a perfect job preparing this reissue. Brilliant stuff!
| | Updated: 11/08/2020Posted: 11/08/2020 | CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ NUCLEAR NIGHTCLUB (50TH ANNIVERSARY EXTENDED EDITION)
SVART 159 (Barcode: 6430065585190) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1974 - 1975 Released: 2018
This is a reissue of the sixth album by the iconic Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist, which featured a new lineup of the group and marked a new period in the band´s career, often referred to as Wigwam Mk. II. Following the departure of keyboardist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist and bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, the two remaining members: vocalist / pianist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist were joined by guitarist Pekka RechardtFind albums by this artist and bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist. Keyboardist Esa KotilainenFind albums by this artist, also not a formal member of the group, added his invaluable input during the recording of the album. The original album presented eight original songs, five composed by Rechardt and three by Pembroke, and all featuring lyrics written by Pembroke, who was a British expatriate and could naturally handle the lyrics in English flawlessly. This remastered and expanded edition adds a second CD, which includes an entire concert recorded for Swedish radio in November of 1974, before the band entered the studio to record the "Nuclear NightclubFind albums with this title" album. It presents seven songs, five of which will be recorded later for the album, and two which originated from Pembroke´s second solo album "PigwormFind albums with this title" recorded earlier in 1974. Kotilainen did not participate on this recording.
The music, although undoubtedly somewhat less strictly Prog oriented, is by all means absolutely brilliant, wonderfully combining the excellent songwriting with perfect performances, full of great instrumental parts. Wigwam were, as it often happened with the capricious Prog fanatics, accused for taking a more commercial path, but the band, which suffered from a dichotomy in its ranks since its inception, was now completely united behind their musical output and quite honestly read well the changing Prog landscape, which pulled many of the classic Prog bands towards a more song oriented direction.
The collected talents of Wigwam´s members still made it one of the best Prog band in Europe and even worldwide, and if not for the fact that they originated from Finland, they would have probably reached to top of the Prog peak. This album was released in the UK and a few other countries, bringing the band some success, but Prog at the time was approaching its global collapse, when the initial creativity of the genre simply dried out. Wigwam released two more excellent albums before calling it quits and future efforts to resurrect the band proved to be as futile as those of other Prog band around the globe. The magic was simply gone.
This excellently sounding and expanded edition is a must have for Finnish Prog / Wigwam fans all over the globe and SvartFind albums on this label Records, as usual, made a perfect job preparing this reissue. Brilliant stuff!
| | Updated: 11/08/2020Posted: 07/08/2020 | CD 2 Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM ~ THE LUCKY GOLDEN STRIPES AND STARPOSE
ESOTERIC 2175 (Barcode: 5013929727526) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1976 Released: 2010
7th album by Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist, the most famous Prog act from that country, which is the second recording by Wigwam Mk II. Following the departure of two founding members bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist and organist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, who gave Wigwam its distinctive sound and musical direction, the band had to reorganize and recruit new members, which of course also influenced their musical direction. The remaining founding members: vocalist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist recruited guitarist Pekka RechardtFind albums by this artist and bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist to join the band for the previous album, and added a fifth member, keyboardist Hessu HietanenFind albums by this artist by the time this album was recorded. The revamped Wigwam, more Pop / Rock oriented than the original incarnation of the band, was still a formidable ensemble able of producing excellent music, and the album includes plenty of superb melodies and excellent musicianship, which are effective and memorable. Although initially the album was criticized for being overly commercial, in retrospect it is every bit as good as the other albums the band recorded, being simply different. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the VirginFind albums on this label label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary LoveFind albums on this label label. A must for Prog fans!
| | Updated: 07/08/2020Posted: | CD 1 Oversampling Remastered Bonus Tracks Recommend To A Friend |
  | WIGWAM / TAIVAANVUOHI ~ POP LIISA VOL. 03 & VOL. 04
SVART 006 (Barcode: 6430050665692) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock
Recorded: 1973 Released: 2016
By the time this live broadcast was captured on tape WigwamFind albums by this artist, the most celebrated Finnish Fusion / Prog Supergroup, already released three seminal albums and were about to release their fourth album "BeingFind albums with this title" recorded in the months preceding this show. The lineup was steady since the second album when the new bassist Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist joined vocalist / organist Jukka GustavsonFind albums by this artist, British expatriate vocalist / pianist Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist and drummer Ronnie OsterbergFind albums by this artist. Following the release of the third album "FairyportFind albums with this title" Pohjola released his phenomenal debut album "Pihkasilma KaarnakorvaFind albums with this title" and Pembroke released his debut album "Wicked IvoryFind albums with this title", both in 1972 on LoveFind albums on this label Records. "Being" was to be the last studio album by this "classic" Wigwam lineup.
The group performs five pieces: a short intro (cover of a John LennonFind albums by this artist song), one piece from Pohjola´s debut composed by him, one song from the forthcoming "Being" album composed by Pembroke, the title song from the "Fairyport" album composed by Gustavson and finally one piece from Pembroke´s debut composed by him.
Overall this recording presents Wigwam at the absolute peak of the first period in the group´s history and offers an amazing example of European / Finnish Progressive Rock and Fusion created at the time.
In complete contrast to Wigwam, TaivaanvuohiFind albums by this artist was one of the many Finnish Prog / Fusion groups that despite their relative popularity as a live act did not manage record an album and disappeared into oblivion without leaving a trace. The group was formed in 1972 and after a long period of personal hiatus the lineup stabilized around the founding member guitarist Sami HurmerintaFind albums by this artist and included also vocalist Tarmo RoselundFind albums by this artist, saxophonist / flautist Pertti PaivinenFind albums by this artist, bassist Urpo SiitonenFind albums by this artist and drummer Ismo RaisanenFind albums by this artist. This is the lineup that is heard here playing live and which also started to record material for the debut album by the group, which sadly eventually never materialized.
The group performs five pieces, four of which are original compositions by Hurmerinta with lyrics by him and other group members and one is a composition by Frank ZappaFind albums by this artist. The music is a unique mixture of Prog, Fusion and Psychedelia featuring extensive guitar and saxophone soloing and judging by what can be heard here they would have perhaps created another Finnish gem album, but alas it was not to be.
Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early 1970s that one is able to hear and for Fusion and Jazz oriented Prog-heads this is an absolute must have!
Side Note
The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled.
The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD.
The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes.
This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.
| | Updated: 30/04/2020Posted: 30/04/2020 | CD 1 Remastered Recommend To A Friend |
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