JAZZ-LIISA 5

What a pleasant surprise this one was, I mean this one is a keeper. This was just released back in 2016 but it's an archival release of music played live in studio on October 2nd 1974 and broadcast live on channel 2 in Finland. Their only release up to this was a studio album in 1975 also played live in studio but with five members. This is the year before with six members and that sixth guy plays soprano sax and flute and composed "Cybele" the rest of the songs on here were composed by the violinist the leader of the band. I should mention there is another edition of this release with a different album cover and it includes live music from 1977 and every opinion I've heard about that one says it's inferior to the 1974 music so I'm glad I have the edition I do.

Part of the appeal for me is that I'm just not big on violin led music. There are always exceptions of course and this is one of them. These guys by the way sound like no one else. I thought briefly of MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA on the closer at one point but hey not a bad band to be compared to right? The opener had me dancing around the house the first time I heard it. That violin is addictive and it's catchy. A lively sound. "Ahmoo" is slow moving to start with bass, violin and flute. Piano only after 2 minutes as we get a calm and it's beautiful. Violin and flute are back after 3 minutes and some picked guitar in this Avant section. Really cool. Drums roll in before 5 minutes then another calm and it's dark with sparse sounds. Blows me away that this was all played live. Organ takes the spotlight before 9 minutes.

"Ennystmaton" is one of my favourites. It hits the ground running with violin over top leading the way. I love when it slows down just before a minute. Intense! The electric piano starts to solo as the violin steps aside and that electric piano sounds great! Violin is back and man this is good. A calm with bass, shuffling drums and violin. Then the violin starts to go "off" after 5 minutes, sax too. Suspense! The violin is more playful late. "Cybele" is the longest track at over 11 minutes and we get sax and atmosphere to start as birds chirp. Just drifting away here with that inventive and melancholic sax for 3 1/2 minutes then the double bass replaces it. Cymbals join in then electric piano and flute. It's picking up. Picked guitar and violin as the flute steps aside. Violin leaves before 8 minutes as the electric piano leads the way with bass and drums. Flute and violin are back before 10 minutes.

The closer might be my favourite. "Lokki"is about the electric piano and sax mostly but it's that fuzzed out bass that had me exclaiming "What!" when I first heard it. Love these guys! Violin after 1 1/2 minutes and yes this sounds amazing. This is the MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA moment. Soprano sax leads before 5 minutes until the violin replaces it after 6 1/2 minutes. Well you can probably gather that I highly recommend this 1974 release. A must for adventerous Jazz fans.