PEKKA POHJOLA

1. "Metsonpeliä - Capercaillie Games" (10:33) almost a big band sound, innocuous and friendly with very tight performances from the full band, with an exciting ten-seconds of sample bass virtuosity around 1:30 and then a full exposition (solo) filling the sixth minute. Pekka and drummer Reino Laine obviously have a great rapport as their tandem playing off one another seems very tight, almost scripted (though that seems unlikely when taking the speed of each performers' note-playing). The trouble is that it's a bit long. The whole band is conscripted to go back into the opening theme for the final 2:15. That means over five minutes were spent on masturbatory interplay with your drummer boyfriend! (The sign of youth?) Okay, so now you've shown me that you and your boys have chops. And you've shown me that you can compose complex music and make it listenable--even pretty! Now you've got to show me that you can do both of those things all at once, over the length of a song and an album, start to finish. (17.75/20)

2. "Virtojen Kiharat - Curls of Streams" (5:28) the presence of organ and flute in this neo-baroque song takes away some of the mediævalness of the folk themes used in the song, but there remains a whole lot of themes and motifs injected and overlapped into this one stuffed song. As impressive as any FOCUS song though perhaps not as smoothed out! (9.75/10)

3. "Armoton Idylli - Merciless Idyll" (3:47) another song rife with folk-like themes, the lightness and melodic "oompah" sense conveyed by the foundational rhythm corps is perhaps the most notable thing--something that allows the clarinet, violin, and sax shine like a Woody Allen New Orleans jazz song. (9.25/10)

4. "Nipistys - Pinch" (3:32) a little classically-oriented yet also more cinematic despite its thick multi-layered complexity. Again Pekka's bass and Reino's drums seem to propel the song almost effortlessly. (9/10)

5. "Valittaja - Complainer" (10:22) Pekka's near-classical piano opens this one, at first just showing off his Scott Joplin- like chops before shifting (quite suddenly--as if by splice) in the second minute into a more melodic two-chord pattern in order to support an extended funky bass solo--one that goes on for the next six minutes (again!). Despite his proclivity to want to show off his skills--especially on the bass--Pekka shows here that he is able to manage to set up a very emotionally-engaging song, albeit with a two-chord base: those two chords and all of their subtle variations and nuances injected by the other instrumentalists (who are mostly himself plus Reino) really kept me groovin'. (I love the intensity of the sixth and seventh minutes!) The shift at the end of the ninth minute to a THIJS VAN LIER-like baroque organ solo is really quite bizarre. (Another splice job?) Despite my complaints of the Complainer, I actually quite like this song. The skills are all there: musicianship, multi-instrumentality, and compositionally! Now to pull it all together for a whole album! (18.25/20)

Total Time 33:42

A-/five stars; a minor masterpiece of youthful talent and skill--and confidence!-brandishing

"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.

Petri Silas's liner notes in the re-release shed some light on the thoughts of Pekka Pohjola himself. "'Symphonic' and 'Sibelian' took root as attributes to describe his compositional style in the press in the mid-1980's. More often than not, Pohjola got irritated and drove allusions like these away. But in the aftermath of his 1986 album Flight of the Angel, the tide began turning. (...) Pohjola got to work on something he was reluctant to call a symphony, but which was unquestionably symphonic in nature." And further, citing Pohjola's autobiography: "I never studied music theory and I haven't got the foggiest of the correct form of a symphony or a sonata. I am not interested in writing symphonies, but I am very interested in writing music for symphony orchestras."

The symphony was performed by an extended Avanti! Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Pekka's cousin Olli Pohjola. Recording and mixing were done by Jorma Hämäläinen who recalls that some old school engineers from the classical circles had dismissed his 'unorthodox' method of close section miking for strings, reeds, brass etc. instead of a simple stereo miking in order to emulate the concert experience. I'm certainly no expert with these matters, I can only say this recording sounds good.

The relatively short symphony (27:40) is namely in three parts, although parts I and II are seamlessly together and last only 10:43 in total. The piece starts in a slow tempo. If Pohjola had used the Italian terminology for classical compositions, the beginning could have been marked as 'Adagio misterioso'. Around the fourth minute the intensity grows in a brass-heavy and uneasy way but gracefully the music returns to mellowness in which there are very beautiful individual melodies for various wind instruments. I have some associations for the most orchestral moments in Mike Oldfield's Incantations.

Part III starts triumphantly. The use of the sharp-sounding brass section is not very enjoyable to my ears, but I'm charmed by the more serene moments giving the focus on strings and reeds. Indeed, all in all I tend to prefer the calmer and more chamber music oriented moments in this symphony. The orchestration is surprisingly fine and nuanced on those moments, whereas the stormy grandiosity sometimes feels a bit hollow and pointless, frankly rather tiresome to listen to. Gracefully the final minute is calm and thus ends the symphony beautifully.

Measured against "the real" symphony oeuvre this one surely leaves a lot to be desired in both form and orchestration, and I'd probably rate it with two and a half stars. However, as an orchestral work by a musician NOT from the classical establishment, this is among the most interesting ones, and it probably sounds as good now as it sounded in 1990. 3½ stars rounded down due the EP-like shortness for an album.

Featuring new collaborators, guitarist Peter Lerche, keyboardist Jussi Liski and drummer Leevi Leppänen, the fairly synth oriented Urban Tango started a new chapter in Pohjola's music. Especially compared to the previous album, there is a melodic tightness unheard before, even though the pieces are again pretty long. 'Imppu's Tango' is an outgoing, playful fusion piece with a brass-like sharpness and nice changes in tempo. T. T. Oksala, who was soon to make a grade as a rock/pop producer, guests on Roland guitar synth. 'New Impressionist' lasts over 15 minutes, and admittedly it's not as progressive as a piece of that length would better be, but it has a fresh, sophisticated soundscape.

'Heavy Jazz' became a gig perennial. The title is appropriate as the rhythm is really heavy. In the halfway comes a lighter section focusing on Lerche's bright electric guitar before returning to the heaviness. The vocal numbers in Pohjola's entire solo output are extremely scarce. The nearly 12-minute 'Urban Caravan' features rather unsatisfactory vocals of Kassu Halonen (better known as a songwriter for several other artists), but the composition itself is quite progressive and dynamic after the slow-paced first movement. The rough, throaty vocals remind me at times of Mike Oldfield's voice in the song 'Five Miles Out'.

Much better song is the relatively peaceful 'Silent Decade' (4:13) which originally was the B side of 'Imppu's Tango' single and is featured as a bonus on the album's reissues. Esa Kaartamo is a very good vocalist, perhaps with a little resemblance to both Jukka Gustavson and Jim Pembroke of Wigwam, and the song has sincere emotion.

With a few more separate pieces of shorter average length this album could have been better, but I'll let the rare beauty of 'Silent Decade' push my 3½ stars upwards. Anyway, surprisingly solid, and still fresh sounding album for its time.

1. "Alku ~ The beginning" (2:10) solo piano using modal chord progression like a John Coltrane or Magma song. (4.375/5)

2. "Ensimmäinen aamu ~ The first morning" (5:35) bright, cheerful j-r fusion of a proggy inclination--quite a little of a Weather Report feel. Where does Pekka find these great drummers? (I like that he gives them great sound.) The motif established in the second minute has a processional feeling to it--like a jazzed-up classical piece. The next run through the full motif everybody goes more jazz, blurring the "lines" of the original motif quite a bit, but then they all come back together for a tight recapitulation of the original processional. The fourth time through it's the horns (and Pekka's hi-rpm bass) who elevate the song into Zappa Land. So precise and tight! The last time through the band is more relaxed, the notes a little more subdued, yet it sounds so Zappa-like! Excellent composition! (9/10)

3. "Huono sää / Se tanssii... ~ Bad weather / Bialoipokku dances" (6:55) reflective piano-based song--in fact, an étude. The exploration of low end possibilities is the total focus throughout the first two minutes with the horns doing as much work as the piano and bass. It's not until the 2:20s that the melody finally reaches mid- and upper ranges. Another song that could almost be classified under the Zeuhl sub. Even when the music bursts into happy-county fair mode at 4:45 could it still be befitting a Magma or Present song--especially when it soon shifts again into a faster gear. (13.25/15)

4. "...ja näkee unta ~ Bialoipokku's war dream" (4:35) poppy Arthur-like Burt Bacharach music. Very bouncy with a very syncopated bass-and-piano led melody line over very steady rhythm section. Horns jump on board the melody providing volume and accents to the bass-and-piano lines while the drumming moves in and out of military snare work. Interesting and very mathematic. J.S. Bach would love this one, I'm sure. (8.875/10)

5. "Hereilläkin uni jatkuu ~ Bialoipokku's war" (4:42) piano turns CHCAGO! More mathematical jazz-rock of particular interest to those who love complex whole-group arrangements of music that is primarily intent on exploring odd time signatures. A big switch around 3:25 leads into a different-sounding yet-still-CHICAGO-like passage with bass and soprano sax performing the most attention-grabbing duties. Impressive if not as enjoyable or memorable as one would like. (8.875/10)

6. "Sekoilu seestyy ~ The madness subsides" (4:18) rich Fender Rhodes sounding as if it came out of a Smooth pseudo-Jazz pop album like Art Garfunkle or Stephen Bishop. Rich rolling electric piano play matched by melodic bass play beneath supports Coste Apetrea's fine Jan Akkerman-like electric guitar play over the top. Again there is more of an étude feeling to this one--even after 2:55 when it becomes a lone electric bass solo there seems to be some kind of mathematical problem being worked out in Pekka's mind. (8.875/10)

7. "Elämä jatkuu ~ Life goes on" (6:42) a kind of laid-back swing--like the theme for the end of a long day--where Pekka is still working his heart out while the tenor and alto saxes are the only ones that are allowed to loosen up a bit. (8.875/10)

Total Time: 34:57

Compositionally this album is amazing: Pekka is really stretching his wings. Performatively-speaking it's top notch all around--from everyone though the standards are never so high as those Pekka places on himself. But there is less room for playful improvisation within these very tightly written and disciplined songs. Even the melodic--and especially the harmonic--sensibilities are impressive and often quite catchy and enjoyable--it's just that the album has much more of a cerebral feel to it. Hopefully Pekka will have a patch in the future where everybody can just have fun.

B/four stars; an excellent album of artistic "problem solving" of the Jazz-Rock Fusion kind, one that is only lacking a bit in the fun and memorable melody departments.

1. 'Waves" (6:56) gorgeous soprano sax in the lead over piano and orchestra. (14/15)

2. "The Red Porsche" (5:00) funk-jazz from the 1980s--clearly inspired by the Ghostbusters soundtrack. (8.5/10)

3. "Metropolitan" (14:05) opening very much like an AFTER CRYING classically-influenced piece, piano and Pekka's bass take over the second and third minutes--though jazz horns play a very strong role as well. I'm reminded of several 1970s television and film soundtracks as I listen to this. At the five minute mark a kind of "Birdland" bass and layered horns take the lead. These horn arrangements are pretty cool--very sophisticated. Strings are also nice. The old- fashioned big band feel only gets stronger as the piano takes the lead soloist position. At 11:20 things return to the AFTER CRYING orchestral motif of the opening. (26/30) 4. "Views" (7:34) pretty and well composed but a little too saccharine/syrupy for me--more "jazz lite" than progressive rock or even Jazz-Rock Fusion. (12.75/15)

5. "Us" (11:32) easily the most unique, refreshing, and nonderivative song on the album (which is GOOD), I can definitely hear some of the idiosyncratic tastes for melody and rhythm that seems common to all Finns in this excellent song. By the time we're deep into the fifth minute I'm feeling a very strong PAT METHENY GROUP vibe. This is really awesome! Fun and upbeat and makes me want to dance! Then at the 6:00 mark all but piano and occasional space synth flourish support an excellent jazz bass solo. Things amp up for a little bridge just before the eight-minute mark before we get another shift--a downshift into. This is such a delightful song! Though the congealment of the final ninety seconds again brings me back to 1970s film scores (think Arthur or St. Elmo's Fire), it's still wonderful to hear. (19.75/20)

Total Time: 45:37

A-/4.5 stars; a near-masterpiece of jazz-rock fusion from one of the old masters!

It reminds me a bit of Return to Forever and Tony William's Lifetime (but without the guitars, of course). Because it's playful, well produced and it rocks. That's why I like jazzrockfusion, because it rocks. I can imagine not everyone will be into this, but I like it very much. This is the kind of record that's still strong after 50 years.

In this live album we find yet again another jewel from Pekka Pohjola, excellent playing and a great selection of songs, from different eras, in a single album, one wonders what else was performed and recorded while in Japan, surely enough material for a double album. If you enjoy his music, and don't know this live one, it surely will make you happy.

What we have here is a magical album if you enjoy Pekka's music, all compositions are his save 1 collaboration and UMOi s by far and wide a great band, a music institution that counts with professional players in its ranks.

When musicians step out of "your" confort zone, meaning a style that challenges you or you do not fancy, then the listener is put in a difficult position, how to rate an album in a style you do not appretiate or like?

A different album it is if you are expecting the Pekka Pohjola of always, however, this jewel may bring enormous pleasure if listened in its own right.

A 4.5 star for me ... however the rating isn't possible so I have to settle for a 4

Enjoy

The opening title track ('lohikäärme' means dragon) is the longest of them. It sounds very good, especially for the calmer, rhytmically clear basic part with distinctive drum sounds. Time and time again it evolves into more hectic "chorus" part in which the electric guitar screams like a frightened person, to return back. It also contains a long guitar solo, but frankly the composition is seriously over-extended for its musical substance.

'Tehdasmusiikkia' (= Factory music) is a Fusion number centering on a playful guitar melody that appears in turns with the more soaring melodic lines. The unmistakable Pohjola touch is heard in the little details but this is far from the finest music he made. I'm not fond of 'Sampoliini' either, a fast joyful number that seems to be primarily a place to show off the musicians' virtuosity.

'Inke ja mä' (= Inke and me; referring to Pekka's divorced wife) is the highlight, and in my opinion among the best Pohjola pieces ever. Unlike this album in general, it is full of emotion, and that emotion is pretty melancholic, thoughtful and introspective. The way the repetitive "chorus" melody grows and grows -- orher movements being mostly very delicate -- is truly marvelous. This track is a perfect example of Pekka Pohjola's unique style. Since the album as a whole is not that interesting to me, three stars will do.