MIST SEASON

Mist Season is a Finnish five piece formation featuring very experienced and skilled musicians. Once I got their first eponymous CD from 2004 as a promo, I was impressed with their pleasant instrumental blend of blues, jazz and rock. The work on piano,saxophone and guitar is outstanding and the rhythm-section very dynamic. In 2006 Mist Season released the successor entitled Woodlands, also instrumental. The band has made progression, with more variety and a wider range of instruments, from flute and accordeon to sitar and synthesizer. It took a while before Mist Season produced their third effort Reflections, in 2011.

And for the first the music contains vocal parts, from female singer Mirja Lassila (in two songs). Especially in the alternating Defending Hands her warm, a bit high pitched voice matches wonderfully with the folky music featuring twanging acoustic guitars and soaring flute.

From the 14 compositions three tracks feature short improvisations on the Grand piano, dubdued and tender. Also two short pieces on the acoustic ? and classical guitar: Summer Season in the vein of Steve Howe and Chaser like Steve Hackett is beautiful 'unplugged'' work. The other seven (instrumental) tracks are a progressive, very melodic blend of several styles, with the emphasis on a fusion of jazz and jazzrock (loaded with brass and woodwind instruments, especially the saxophone).

It's remarkable how easily Mist Season switches from style and atmosphere, and how outstanding all the instruments sound. A few examples.

The swinging Manaos (with a known theme): fiery electric guitar, fluent synthesizer flights and powerful saxophone.

Lobsterland Groove (written by fellow Skandinavian Roine Stolt): from dreamy with accordeon to flashy synthesizer runs and sparkling saxophone, accompanied by lush Hammond.

Matelda's Song: from soaring to mid-tempo with howling electric guitar.

And the highlight Sally And Jack : an intro with classical guitar, then dreamy with intense saxophone and a final part with a compelling guitar solo, between Gilmour and Latimer.

Mist Season also plays a Santana cover, no coincidence that the track Aqua Marine (an omnipresent trumpet) is from Santana his jazz/jazzrock era.

On this album you can enjoy frequently from a outstanding soli and a wide range of instruments, especially in Pan(jazzy piano) and Promenader (electric guitar,saxophone and synthesizer, in a jazzrock climate).

Highly recommended, if you like fusion, jazz and jazzrock, with lots of brass/woodwind instruments.

Just in case, the one moment PA mentions 2 social comments, the other moment zero social comments, it is really two social comments.

It's actually eight years ago when I first borrowed the Finnish MIST SEASON's two first albums from a library and was pretty pleased. The CD booklets were packed with beautiful outdoor photography, mostly nocturnal in the case of the debut, suitably steering my reception towards starry-eyed romanticism. Perhaps my music taste was back then slightly mellower than today, as some of this music now feels too spinelessly soft. "Too nice for its own good", headlines Finnforest's two-star review for this debut. I certainly understand his thought: MIST SEASON's instrumental, highly melodic and smooth jazz-fusion indeed often sounds harmlessly nice, especially when it is at its happiest mood. My female friend recently commented on this album that some tracks sound like opening themes for TV quiz programmes, preferably from the late 70's or 80's, and I agreed. The first track 'Peppermint Patty' is exactly in that style with the joyous sax melody. I usually prefer melancholia over happiness in music anyway.

'Lydia', also composed by the keyboard player Timo Kajamies, succeeds in combining brighter sections with slow, dreamy and deeply romantic ones. 'My Joy' and 'Life Is' are other TV theme-like tunes. The playing is very polished, the saxophone is a bit cheesy all the way and the bright piano decorations of 'My Joy' are slightly oriented to easy-listening / New Agey stuff. But luckily the album gets better.

'Siren's Gaze' by drummer Kimmo Pörsti and bassist Keijo Hakala is a relaxed, serene ballad and quite beautiful as such. The mellow guitar sound reminds me of PAT METHENY. All in all the romantic emotions that grace the whole album come to life much better when the general mood is less joyous than on the earliest tracks. 'Kati' by Pörsti is a delicate love tune, featuring lovely flute playing. The drummer is without a doubt a romantic soul, and it can be witnessed also in PAIDARION's music that he has composed.

The tightest composition of the 11 is 'Skeptoscopic Detector' which allows the guitarist Tommi Varjola to show off his skills -- that could have been put in much larger use on the album. The track approaches the Fusion era's halcyon days of the mid-seventies. 'Lullaby for the Little One', again by Timo Kajamies who composed tha lion's hare of this album, is a peaceful and pretty closing tune.

Even though I don't like the rather naive happiness of some tracks and would welcome some more spine, I'm rounding my 3½ stars upwards with the help of the lavish and beautiful layout. This band is warmly recommended to all friends of mellow and melodic jazz/fusion.

A Jazz/Progressive Rock band from Hämeenlinna, Finland, Mist Season were formed in 2004 and featured Keijo Hakala on bass, Timo Kajamies on keyboards, Kimmo Pörsti on drums, Kari Rantakallio on sax and Tommi Varjola on guitars.Some of the members had Classical education, some were involved more in Jazz Music, and the result of these influences was taped in late-2004 in the band's self-titled and self-released debut.

Balance is the perfect word to desrcibes Mist Season's debut, an all instrumental jazzy Progressive Rock effort, containing plenty of intense as well as mellow moments, with a well- crafted sound, interesting compositions and decent instrumental performances.The tracks show much diversity, ranging from proggier moments to full jazzy-oriented material, featuring always a strong melodic content and a unique dreamy atmosphere.Especially the opening tracks are nice examples of smooth jazzy Progressive Rock with melodic themes and beautiful interplays, fronted by the impresive keyboard work of Kajamies and the JAN AKKERMAN-like jazzy guitar stylings of Varjola.Just halfway throughout the gears are slowed down and the band's attitude is now closer to Lounge Jazz and light Fusion with heavy sax solos, more piano-based themes and a overall lighter approach.But the ending of the release holds some great surprises like on ''Kati'' with its great CAMEL-esque atmosphere and the clever use of flutes or the long ''Marieholm'', characterized by the virtuosic guitar exercises of Varjola and the fair amount of proggy breaks.

An interesting effort of well-developed and -executed jazzy Prog, sure to please also fans of melodic Progressive Rock who do not mind a jazzy taste among their listenings.Recommended.

An interesting band from Finland. This is their third album.

Mist Season is clearly in the easy listening jazz mould. On this album, they have gone a bit more progressive and moved a lot closer to a band like Return To Forever. Good solos, good melodies and a good drive. Oh yeah, they reminds me a lot of Return To Forever and their epic masterpiece Romantic Warrior. But Mist Season also includes a lot of Finnish music in the mix and even some female vocals. But most of their music is instrumental mid tempo, not particular intense jazz.

There are some really great tracks here. They are paired up with some pretty decent tracks too. The vocal track for example and a couple of other tracks does nothing for me. I am also missing some really killer tracks here too. But my main gripe is that this album is too much of an easy listening album without the great melodies to go along with it. But it is still a very good album from a very interesting band.

3.5 stars

This is the third musical offering from MIST SESAON from Finland,an extremelly talented band composed of some of the most talented musicians from this beautiful country!Well,definitelly this album can be considered trully exceptional,and it confirms the expression-third time is the lucky charm!REFLECTIONS is the most mature and elaborated album of the band and has every ingredients to compose a very,very likeble audition of something really wonderful made by real pros!As usual-the sound id exceptional and the graphic presentation,the booklet is phenomenal too!Some wonderful pictures are in the booklet and fit perfectly well with the music of the cd!Great atmosphere,mesmerising jazz tones,sometimes ambiental almost and prog jazz orientated too- and superbe interventions everywhere of a wonderful sax!From the point of view of the compositions-this album is more prog orientated then the previous two and the short intros are so beautiful and catchy ,introducing the longer tracks which are elaborated and perfectly well performed!Not even a single weak track on this album,definitelly the process of selection of the tracks has been very seriusly made!It's rare in today's music to find such excellent music ,honestly made for the love of music,with the purpose to offer the listeners a higher form of art under all aspects,without the ambition to prove something mind blowing - just good ,wonderful music!I can say that REFLECTIONS is a timeless album,with no age and standards-it's just very good music that gives to the listener,to the most pretentious ones a great feelings , calm and peaceful moods!SUPERBE from the first to the last second of it!4.5 STARS for a little musical jewel!

I enjoyed their two previous albums too, and I feel a bit guilty for never reviewing them here (they haven't got too many!). Now I've listened to their new one and think that it's their best work. MIST SEASON is a Finnish group who play elegant, melodic, instrumental, mellow and yet dynamic Fusion. A good referring point would be FINNFOREST from the seventies, but better really. More variable in instrumentation and more melodic. Amidst tracks of tight group playing there are also intimate acoustic pieces by solo piano or guitar. A nice addition is female vocals on two tracks here (another of them is lyricless vocalese).

Maybe it could also be said that this album is a little more progressive than the previous ones, which were more safely in the mellow, sort-of 'easy listening', jazz category. This feels silly to say, as if this was any harder to enjoy immediately! A wider variation in compositions is partly due to the inclusion of covers: there's a Santana tune featuring trumpet ('Aqua Marine'), two pieces of Italian film music... oh, even a track composed by Roine Stolt ('Lobsterland Groove'), I don't know from which origin, maybe not Flower Kings? Actually that was one of my least favourites; it's got an Ethnic touch in the style of PIIRPAUKE, with accordion included. Despite all this, the whole album is very coherent and balanced; nothing feels out of place. 67 minutes of beautiful, relaxing music, highly recommended!

Too nice for its own good.

Mist Season is a smooth jazz unit from Finland who claim in their cd booklet that each song tells its own story and that they believe in "music that does not hide occasional faults and failures." Very ironic quote because everything here is just a little too perfect.

The musicians are top notch and are shown in their best country club attire, playing completely inoffensive light jazz that is exactly what you'd expect to hear in your dentist's office while he's doing your teeth. Or in the Mall coffee shop while you're finishing your expresso. I do enjoy many jazz rock albums but this one just doesn't connect. I'm not saying this is bad music but it really needs to break a sweat. It's just too nice, too smooth, too light, too slickly produced, too professional, too perfect. It needs some grit and a smoky bar with a low ceiling. This is almost jazz you could meditate to and I'm not sure that's what most jazz fans want or expect. Now if you like your jazz very light and pretty you will want to ignore my rating and get this right away. The booklet contains gorgeous photography which for me was the highlight of the CD, each song has its own corresponding photograph. If you like light-jazz this might be a perfect disc for relaxing with drinks, but I can't recommend it broadly because I think it's missing quite a bit on the emotional vibrancy scale.

*Finnish Music Inspired in Nature and in Progressive Jazz*

Another great album by this european jazz band, this record has a more progressively rock and fusion approach than the previous one, having the same easy listening ingredient it does grabs your attention through almost the entire album, though i find nowadays albums with 70 - 77:04 minutes of music a bit too much, i still think Vynil timing for cds is the right one for paying full attention to the music..45 minutes it is.

Far Away from Home Is one of the best tunes recorded by the band, taking in consideration the band most inspired tunes are melodic and quiet this track was a surprise to me, it has a lot of energetic playing and funk jazzy mood taking it back to New Yorkian jazz, then it goes back to European Standards on the first mood change when Distorsioned guitars makes it first introduction. Though this is one of my favourite songs the trumpet solo is a bit out of "swing" on the track, it almost sounds like Experimental Trumpet solo not played on purpose. Towards the end of the song theres a jazz sound guitar followed by a energetic electric guitar that contains Tommi's best guitar phrasing closer. Great Opening Track 4/5.

Cartway across the Branches part I This theme has been recorded in IV parts, though the songs seems inspired by the same line of feeling each part has a different perspective of the concept pretty much like a four pieces exploration on chords of the first idea of the tune, this song takes it more in into the melodic nostalgic finnish vein and cold feeling of lakes situated there, the booklet on this cd helps the immagination get realistic on each themes, incredible art work.

Day Lite Another "energetic" song taking it more to a similar session feel like Far Away From Home, this one sounding more rockish prog influenced than jazzy. On the Heavier side of the band, this also adds some heavy keyboard playing towarsd the end by Timmo, and once again getting into the opening theme of the song wich is a peacefull beautifull kind of classical melody, same ingredient used on "Lydia" from first album on structuring some of the songs in this record, wich in my opinion is a great kind of fusion comoposition techniques, the softer ending addes the tune a memorable sense after the rockish shredding on it.

The Dance of Minstress An Ethnic kind of Hungarian / Polka Russian melody takes over on this track, i wasnt expecting this kind of fusion on the new album, though it seems to sound right, first time iheard this tune i thought it was kind of akward after some listenings i found the track original and catchy. And after getting into the concept and in the usage of sounds in this album, the synth solo ONLY made it for me in this one. (Day Lite and Six Spruce has a lame synth neo-classical playing that just doest work out for me)...This song has a "festive" feel , some sort of Gypsy Jazz Tune. Interesting piece a new nice ground discovered by the band. Drums towards the end are sublime.

The Six Spruce Yamaha WX5 Flute sound is incredible , im not a fan of emulated/presets sounds of wind instruments especially flute, but is hardly different than a real the presented on this cd. I even thought it was a real flute. This tune sounds more like their first cd, especially on the piano solo, reminds me of Peppermint, one thing about this piano playing is that is a lot different than the band together playing in overall, it has this Honky Emerson thing added to jazz tunes turning it into more symphonic classical oriented for the duration of the piano solo, enhances the word "fusion" for this guys. The only low point on this song is the synth solo towards the end that sounds like a ring tone.

Flowers of Asia Symphonic Prog folkish oriented it goes with a movie theme particular sound adding a oriental Koto and it did made me recall some quebecois jazzy bands such as Maneige with a 50' trumpet playing from Broadway nostalgia. This song doest appeal to me as the rest, the band doest sound as good as on main jazz tunes, but this song gives the album a credit on the standards, the flute playing on this song is the best on the album in my opinion...sounds like Jukka is more inspired by this jazz than the fusion rockish side of the band.

Dawn Reminding me of Japonese bands, this goes with the manhattan new yorkian jazz sound with a popish bass, though the pat metheny sound on the guitar starts getting repetitive at this point of the album the song maintains the level of interest high through the whole song. Specially when Kari sax playing on Spyro Gyra gets back on the song.

Vexplorer Maybe the heaviest song they have done, this will certainly appeal for fusion fans that listened to some Scott Henderson kind of Dog Party horn section playing, though this doesnt have blues virtuos playing the track kind of introduces the listener to a more heavier sound of a jazz band with a background leaned towards melodic jazz wise sound.

Woodpecker The Mocker After "Lullaby..." from Mist Season 2004 this is 2nd hated track from them, reminds me of some jethro tull folkish bluegrass fusion wich isnt quite fun for me to listen, sounds way to americanesque for my taste. But it can work out for more open minded blues lovers, harmonicca playing is great nonetheless.

Skyward Leafage BRILLIANT, this is maybe the track i've listened the most from both cds, along with Tears of Woodlands. Getting the "The Snow Goose" kind of feeling on the beginning of the song , Camel influenced and the symphonical intro gives the tune a warm feeling bit like Autumns inspired. Though some member mentioned that some fan said it recalled him of The Great Gig In The Sky by Floyd, the piano playing on the guitar solo section certainly does sound similar , Tommi enters with the best guitar solo i've heard from him, not only on this disc including their debut, a familiar Kansas/Queeniesque melodical sound on guitars. Though i might start calling this guys mood swingers, they are not as crazy as japonese bands but as far as for logical mood changes, this songs gets a funk Clavi playing , the bass lines are great, sax playing is neat, trumpet follows the track great as well, this song has a phenomenal mixing and production. The final section of the song sounds like it can get mind blowing on a live set. A masterpiece song from Mist Season, this one makes the record worthy buying.

Garden of Beruwela Hindu Percussion , kind of reminded me of Bill Douglas album called Blue Sky, take Spyro Gyro and Hindu Percussion and it will sound like this song, nice approach from the band the do this kind of mix.

Tears of Woodland The most beautiful piano piece performance from Timo, the nostalgia and preocupation on this song makes it the most artistical song written by the band, one point that is also spotted on this song is that Tommi classical/acoustic guitar playing is ridiculously awesome, i wish he had added this sound to the first record and in more tracks on this cd, trully great. This song has the same formula as Skylard, it goes all Jazz Fusion energetically towards the end, having guest appearence from Finnish band WASA EXPRESS. Im not a musician but i do play keyboards and the synth sound used on this track from Bo Hallgren will knocked your head off...this solo made the song a bit transcendental for me, but theres a mood change in the mixing that made the solo sound a bit weird, i wished the solo continued towards a more solid ending on this one...but it does sounds enough time from 5:21 to 7:00 . Here is when the album gets intriguing cause this mood change killed the solo for me but the sections that goes after turned to be incredible fun, Thomas Berglund made the sound of the band sound like in a future kind of universe, like if they had been playing for years, then a quite unusual shift for this band a pause for a bass solo, from mister Mikael Berglund , this almost sounded like a live jam jazz festival when everything sounds like it cant be performed better, a COOL bass solo, most bass solos doesnt sounds as fresh as this one at least no on studio. I will rate this one 4.30/5 because some of the songs took a wrong direction, some others took the players to a ground that wasnt that safe, mood playing variations between players made some of the sections questionable, and the album is a bit long for my taste, though they seem to have recorded their best songs in this one, Mist Season(2004) still stands out as a better album it self as a whole.

I thank this musicians for doing this great music from a land i barely know of, but i get surprised by finnish music each day.

I hope to hear more news about this guys they should be getting more popular on jazz/fusion fans towards the years..

Stay Classy

Franko

MODERN SMOOTH JAZZ

One of the most interesting works of latest jazz i've heard along with Mindflowers ; this album called Mist Season is a solid debut album that on their own way ended combining a fusion between Spyro Gyra and The Brecker Brothers remembering the manhattan NYC jazz sound, Mist Season added this influences to a warm and pleasant for anyone that has been into jazz, and as well for the ones that didnt since the music is very digestable as for any listener searching for wise music. These musicians carries what nowadays is a must have on jazz bands, and thats the "Jazz wise" ingredient. Another interesting matter on the band sound are the "mood Swings" , most songs have very well crafted mood changes during the whole cd. Every musician seems to be inspired by a particular musician from different times, guitar reminds of mainly 80's and 90's artists... wich at times gives a Pat Metheny Group kind of feeling to some songs, following a more "rooted" melodies than most fusion bands.

I thought about doing a review song per song, but this album just needs an introduction, its clear that anyone who has listened to all sorts of jazz/Fusion bands will enjoy this band as much as i did... Its like combining the best elements from jazz and turning them into a modern crafted jazz. I gotta say im glad this band is more concerned about creating memorable songs more than doing a wank fest of technicall soloing, like some of the bands that came out in the latest 5 years on this genre. Those who can still bring the best jazz elements and make sensual music without limitating themselves in instrumental orientations are the ones that keeps the genre growing from its initial routes.

The album is mainly a source of jazz wisdom , bringing mature music towards emotive passages on piano and a very smart Drumm playing, Kimmo really shined on the arranges for songs that could end being monotone if it wasnt for the dynamic percussion, thought its a personal taste, i always enjoyed drummers that doesnt go all noise with the cymbals and stuff like Dennis Chambers in some ocassions, and more close to the Lenny White, "romantic Warrior" playing of capturing and englobing the songs and not just add fast and noise drums...

The beginning the album has some great improvisations and interesting arrangements for each song, such as the opening track, "Peppermint Patty", "Lydia", to some classicalesque fusion on "Life is". Then the Brecker brothers and Jay Beckenstein effect starts to appear on the "Siren's Gaze", wonderful sax melodies ...Kari Rantakallio achieved the domination of the saxophone as for not using superflues notes in any of the songs...wich makes hes playing very soothing and relaxing, wich brings to the head landscape and images that are very well reflected on the art work made by Esko Tuovinen on this album , talented photographer...worthy mentioning it on the reviews cause hes artwork and photographs are breath taking, makes you feel you already know Finland. Towards the end the album goes more Electrik Band with "Skeptoscopic Detector" and then culminates into a classical passage called "Lullaby For The Little One" that does works perfectly for a closing song. I would let this band pass, its good to know that we do not have to rely on 70's jazz only, that theres indeed interesting bands appearing from everywhere that still has the same passion jazz musicians had back in the days.

Stay Classy

Very Highly Recommended

4.5 stars!

Listening to this second album by the Finnish six piece band Mist Season, I got more and more excited about their music. Most of the compositions are swinging with lots of great soli on guitar, keyboards and woodwind instruments (mostly trumpet but also saxophone and clarinet), the interplay is amazing and the rhythm-section sounds very powerful and dynamic! In comparison with their debut CD, this successor sounds a bit more adventurous and surprising like Dance of the Miststress (wonderful contrast between folky flute and accordion and rocky electric guitar), Flowers of Asia (a mellow piece with sitar and trumpet) and Garden of Beruwela (a captivating blend of tablas, soaring keyboards and jazzy guitar and piano). The final track Tears of Woodland is my highlight: first a beautiful part with tender acoustic guitar and piano, then gradually a more lush sound with slow synthesizer flights and dynamic drumming and in the end a swinging rhythm with a powerful saxophone - and fiery electric guitar solo. If you like jazz, jazzrock and or fusion, check out this outstanding new Finnish band!

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