Record Reviews

EERO KOIVISTOINEN ~ HATI HATI SVART 352 (Barcode: 6430050663032) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz Recorded: 2012 Released: 2014 This is the debut album by a quartet led by Finnish Jazz Giant, saxophonist / composer Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist with three representatives of the younger generation of the Finnish Jazz scene: pianist Alexi TuomarilaFind albums by this artist, bassist Jori HuhtalaFind albums by this artist and drummer Jussi LehtonenFind albums by this artist. The album presents eight tunes, seven of which are original compositions by Koivistoinen and one is an arrangement of a Bob DylanFind albums by this artist song. During a career that lasts for over five decades Koivistoinen amassed an incredible legacy of music. As one of the founding Fathers of Finnish Jazz he continuously performed, recorded, led ensembles, and toured both locally and internationally, in short was and still is "Mr. Jazz" in the best and most accurate meaning of the term. He always combined the two most vital qualities essential for a great Jazz musician: a superb and very personal technique and a very personal, instantly recognizable compositional skill. Consistently and marvelously Koivistoinen established his position as one of the leading world-class post-Coltrane saxophonists over the years, and his playing lost absolutely nothing of its fluency, vitality and most importantly that incredible "coolness" which makes him stand apart from most other players. This album is a superb example of melodic Modern Jazz, which flows gently from one tune to the next completely naturally and coherently. Koivistoinen´s compositions are all absolute gems, each and every one of them immediately deserving a status of a standard. Since the very early days he always managed to amaze me time after time with the gorgeousness of his tunes and the ones present here are no exception. Of course great tunes are basis of everything in Jazz, which this album demonstrates repeatedly. The saxophone performances are also stunning and stellar, with a wonderful natural flow and lucidity. Even when the improvisations become complex and dense, they sound absolutely melodic and crystal clear. Careful listening reveals the entire Jazz tradition, which Koivistoinen´s playing is based on, and yet he remains completely original and always full of imagination. It is not surprising that for me Koivistoinen is one of the absolute top active world saxophone players and hopefully this will continue to be the case in years to come. The fact that Koivistoinen is first and foremost Finnish and European, which forged his musical personality and allowed it not to be overwhelmed by the American Jazz tradition, creating a wonderful amalgam of European elegance and taste with the original American spirit of the idiom. Over the years Finland continuously produces wave after wave of extremely talented and creative musicians, including those active on the Jazz scene. Therefore it is not surprising that the younger players on this album are all masters of their trade. Tuomarila, who is naturally given a greater exposure, is an absolutely wonderful pianist, with exceptional sense of melody and fluidity, which turns his solos into micro masterpieces. Huhtala supports the music solidly and with a great sense of harmony. Lehtonen takes a very conservative approach trying to be as much respectfully unobtrusive as possible, which in case of this rather soft and delicate music is the best approach. Overall this is a stunningly beautiful album, full of exquisite music and stellar performances, as always in the case of anything Koivistoinen is involved with. His many fans will find this album a worthy continuation of his splendid legacy and those who are not familiar with the Master, will perhaps be caught in the net of his magic notes. Thank you Eero for making this great music, which is able to make us smile again!

Updated: 19/12/2022Posted: 25/11/2017

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