REUNION

Love Records was the leading Finnish prog-friendly record company in the (early) seventies, having the most legendary prog bands in their catalogue. This compilation (re-released as CD in 2012) put together chosen tracks from TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI, WIGWAM and BLUES SECTION, which was the pioneering proto-prog group that gave birth to those two bands. Since BS is not in the Archives, it's perhaps worthwhile to give some further information. The group featured Wigwam's founding members Jim Pemroke (vocals) and Ronnie Östeberg (drums), plus Eero Koivistoinen (alto sax), Hasse Walli (guitar) and bassist Måns Grounstroem, who founded Tasavallan Presidentti with e.g. Frank Robson, who also had sung with Blues Section. The three BS tracks here give a good picture of the band's psychedelic-flavoured, self-written repertoire, which is sometimes edgy, sometimes poppy in a Beatles style. The jazzy instrumental 'Lucy Jane' is a rarity, not featured on the two CD's of Blues Section.

The fourth group in this compilation is less known SOULSET, which featured Harri Saksala on tenor saxophone (soon he was a singer in APOLLO) and the legendary drummer Edward Vesala, also having Apollo in his impressing CV. 'The Dish' is an instrumental jazz-rock piece with an emphasis on wind instruments.

Tasavallan Presidentti is represented by 'Solitary' and 'Deep Thinker', both slightly TRAFFIC- reminding bluesy jazz-rock songs, originally released on a single and featured on the CD release of TP's debut. The latter has great flute work by the late Pekka Pöyry.

The best tracks are by Wigwam, no doubt. 'Pedagogi' is Jukka Gustavson's fantastic, groovy song sung in Finnish. It later appeared in a different, English-language form on the classic album Being. 'Luulosairas' is rather similar, rare early Gustavson composition. 'Häätö' ('Haato' with dots, if the letters are not shown properly) is written by Mats Huldén, Wigwam's first bassist, later collaborating with e.g. Tasavallan Presidentti and Pekka Pohjola as a lyricist/ cover artist/ bassist. This is a fantastic, quite peculiar and highly progressive song! It appears also on the recent CD re- release of Wigwam's Tombstone Valentine.

A good compilation of early Love Records prog/ jazz-rock output, but with rather poor design, and also lacking of artist introductions.