KIVENPYORITTAJA

Unusually for a "solo" album, this 2013 debut by a veteran of the Helsinki arts scene is very much an ensemble instrumental project. Juha's keys are often dominated by the 3 violins and electric guitar, and even occasionally by winds, suggesting that his powers as arranger/composer really represent the fulcrum of "Kivenpyorittaja", which translates to "Tales and Travels". And these powers are indeed impressive, at least through most of the first 2/3 of the audition.

My closest comparison would be a modernized take on the master Swedes of instrumental folk rock in the 1970s, KEBNEKAJSE, with more intermingled jazz. It's all very listenable and mildly challenging, the best being the opening title cut, evoking photogenic pastoral low angled solar landscapes, and vibrant ones at that. I also enjoy the allusions to cultures just over the sea to the south, specifically Poland, on two tracks, and the more geographically proximal "Suomenmaa", translating as Finnish samba", where the intriguing jazzy aspects attain their peaks. It's only in the last 4 numbers that Juha seems to accept the ordinary; these pieces are baseline intriguing but they substitute ambience for verve and don't play to the strengths of this "big band".

At its best, this is superb genre-busting ethnic music, and, at its worst, it's still accomplished if unexciting. I'm going to lift it by its tales, up to 4 star status.