MAKE MY DAY (ORRENMAA BAND)

I think this album should not be added into Pekka Pohjola discography, because Pekka was just session player in this. Or should we add his discography also singer Muska´s first album or every Hanna Ekola´s albums where Pekka was? If some admin decided to remove this, that´ll be ok to me, I will not miss my review. Anyway frontman of the album is quite unknown Finnish guitar player Tuomo "Tuppu" Orrenmaa. He has composed and arranged every instrumental music in this. As far as I know this is the only album his band ever released. I found also one song released together with Finnish blues musician Pepe Ahlqvist. Even he was quite unknown, he seemed to be quite respected when he got Pekka to play bass in his album and also Billy Cobham in drums (or did Tuomo pay enough money)! There are also Pekka´s son Verneri in trumpet & flugelhorn and Tower Of Power Horns.

"Make My Day" is very cheerful and powerful starter. At the first moment you can hear Tuppu can play the guitar, but there isn´t nothing wrong in Pekka´s fingers too! "Cape Fire" is also quite uptempo-piece, but it has very Pekka- style guitar melody. There is also nice organ solo played by Rob Dominis Or Timo Pratskin. Quite the same direction continues in "Rhythm Alley Bros". It has also some Pohjola-style melodies. This album starts to sound little bit boring in "Ms Bean" because it continues absolutely same kind of as three previous pieces. Luckily direction changes in "Pondering Star", it´s short but very etheric keyboard piece. "Sunday Without a Ride" is calmer, quite nice track. But "Take 15" starts again very uptempo drums where you really hear there is Cobham in drums. Powerful piece! "Skyline" has very funky mood, rolling in a good way!

"Broken Wheel Ranch" is absolutely highlight in this album! It´s very Pekka-like, beautiful track! Anyway I believe Pekka would have added something into this, now it´s repeating that beautiful melody it´s whole length. But we go back into album mood in "Cowlick". Very good playing from all the players again! "Helsinki Floating" is over seven minutes drumsolo. Sounds like Orrenmaa asked Cobham to play it and he wasn´t very excited to do that. "(A Quiet Guy Called) Jimi" is again very funky piece. Really like Clavinet sound in it! "Heavy Pop" ends album quite funky way and we hear solos from Orrenmaa and Rob Dominis.

I am not a big fan of modern guitar based fusion jazz, but this album is quite easy to listen. Have to say there is more rock than in typical fusion jazz. Really you can hear Tuppu Orrenmaa was big Pekka Pohjola music fan. I think this would have become better album leaving out some of the very same kind of tracks. Of course this release is historical, when it´s possibly one of the last ones Pekka involved. Still I am not counting it Pekka Pohjola-album. Anyway this is nice three stars record.