JUKKA TOLONEN BAND: A PASSENGER TO PARAMARIBO

I see some Santana in here (maybe i'm wrong). I'ts a very enjoyable album but i couldn't play it more than once. I'ts like eating something not nice, but if you are starving you'll have it anyway. I'm not saying this is a bad album, but is not quite prog for my taste. Anyway, if you like guitars you hear it.

Jukka Tolonen is one of Finland's best known Prog musicians. His solo works are generally instrumental, but this release finds Bill Carson sing on the closing track. Surprisingly, it comes off quite well as a laid back winding down after a generally high intensity "tour the force" of the preceding tracks. This release is perhaps more dynamic and less subtle than Tolonen's previous two albums, but still strongly in the Jazz-Rock vein, this time coupled with some unmistakable Funk. Nothing really wrong with that and the funky approach seem to dominate Tolonen's future releases for the corresponding time period.

A versatile artist who in 2004 eventually arrives at dedicating a whole album to John Coltrane with a title "Cool Train" (yet to be added to his rather incomplete discography on PA).

"A Passenger To Paramaribo" represents excellent musicianship bursting with energy. The odd, lyrical piece "Tanja" (dedicated to his partner) is a welcome interlude. (Curiously, in 2008 Tolonen was jailed for stabbing his partner. By the time of his release in 2010, he developed osteoarthritis and was no longer able to play the guitar.)

Special mention is due to legendary Finnish record label "Love Records" that were instrumental in supporting Finnish Prog till they went out of business. Their logo is charmingly cheeky, but you'll have to Google on that to see it for yourself.

This album is definitely above 4 and contrary to some of the funky bits, it's only a bit short of 5, so to be pedantic, it's an excellent addition bordering on a Prog masterpiece.

An exciting entry in the jazz/fusion with funk overtones category, "Passenger to Paramaribo" listens on par with Jeff Beck's classic fusion albums "Blow by Blow" and "Wired". The band is tight throughout, enhancing the funk feel along with the crispy clean almost glossy production. "Punks" and "Air Rock" are particular highlights from this 1977 release. A sorely underexposed figure in the jazz rock world, This album is waiting for inclined parties to dive in. If you like Isotope or Colosseum II or Sloche or Jeff Beck's two records I mentioned, give this one a try. It also reminds me of a Larry Coryell guitar fusion with funk release, "Aspects".

Guitarist (and occasional multi-instrumentalist) Jukka Tolonen became famous as the leading force of Tasavallan Presidentti, the other of the two most legendary Finnish prog bands. In the early 70's Tolonen started his instrumental Fusion oriented solo discography, which IMHO reached its artistic peak with The Hook (1974). Hystetica (1975) was a bit more rocking and care-free album.

After that the guitar virtuoso gathered a new group around him: Coste Apetrea from the Swedish RIO band Samla Mammas Manna as the second guitarist, Swedish saxophonist Christer Eklund -- who also produced A Passenger to Paramaribo --, the American- born drummer Bill Carson and bassist Ilkka Hanski replacing the TP partner Heikki Virtanen. Key wizard Esa Kotilainen continued his collaboration in Tolonen's band.

Compared to the previous albums this one contains more funk flavour, well present on the first two tracks. The third piece 'Tanja' was named after Jukka Tolonen's wife. It's an elegant and mellow little composition for acoustic guitars. 'Air Rock' is rather a typical Fusion piece of the time with airy melodies, virtuotic playing and the light funk elements. Nice, if not spectacular in any sense.

The energetic 'Dimitri' was named after Tolonen's son. The album closes with its only vocal track 'What Went Wrong?' sung by Bill Carson (whose singing style reminds me a little of Wigwam's Jim Pembroke). An OK, laid back song with a jazz/blues orientation and a long solo for electric guitar.

This is a fairly good and pleasant Fusion album all the way, but not quite as impressive as some of Tolonen's other albums.