Record Reviews

PEKKA POHJOLA ~ THE MATHEMATICIAN`S AIR DISPLAY ESOTERIC 2177 (Barcode: 5013929727724) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1976 Released: 2010 3rd album by Finnish bassist / composer Pekka PohjolaFind albums by this artist, one of the greatest Prog musicians of all times, who was a founding member of the legendary Finnish Prog band WigwamFind albums by this artist. Accompanied by the top European Jazz and Prog players of the time: Swedish guitarist Georg WadeniusFind albums by this artist, Polish keyboardist Wlodek GulkowskiFind albums by this artist, French drummer Pierre MoerlenFind albums by this artist, Finnish drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist and of course British guitarist Mike OldfieldFind albums by this artist and his sister singer Sally OldfieldFind albums by this artist, the band performs music composed by Pohjola, which stylistically moves between Prog and Jazz-Rock Fusion. Pohjola´s extraordinary talent, both as a bassist and especially as a composer, were already magnificent at the time and would accompany him throughout his entire life, resulting in magnificent achievements, cut short only by his premature and tragic death in 2008. In retrospect this early effort is a milestone for European Prog and firmly establishes the superb Finnish contribution to the genre. This album was one of the very few Finnish albums to be released also in UK (on the VirginFind albums on this label label), shortly after it was released in his home country on the legendary LoveFind albums on this label label. Absolutely essential!

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ CHANGING TIMES AND MOVEMENTS SVART 386 (Barcode: 6430077093980) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1970 - 1971 Released: 2021 This is a brilliant archival album by the pioneering Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist, which presents live recordings captured in Finland and Sweden in 1970 and 1971. The group was fronted by British vocalist / lyricist Frank RobsonFind albums by this artist and included saxophonist / flautist Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist, bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist and drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist. The 2CD album presents thirteen tracks recorded at three separate concerts. The music is all original, except for one song (repeated twice), from the debut album “Ahead Rings OutFind albums with this title” by the brilliant British band Blodwyn PigFind albums by this artist. Most of the material performed here was recorded for the groups second album “Tasavallan Presidentti (II)Find albums with this title” in August 1970, but was not released until spring of 1971, and therefore was yet unknown to the audiences. These live recordings, all of which offer brilliant sound quality, offer a completely new view of the legendary group, presenting them as improvisers and incredible soloists. Three of the tracks last between thirteen and seventeen minutes and are an orgy of Jazz-Rock Fusion extensive improvisation, mostly by Poyry and Tolonen (who was barely eighteen at the time). This album is an invaluable addition to the Tasavallan Presidentti recorded legacy, especially since the group never released a live album, and is a perfect companion to the “Live In LambertlandFind albums with this title” archival album, also released earlier on Svart Records, who do an absolutely fabulous job with reissues of great Finnish music. For European Jazz-Rock Fusion enthusiasts, this is an absolute must of course!

Updated: 28/07/2021Posted: 28/07/2021

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ LAMBERTLAND SVART 250 (Barcode: 6430065588511) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of the third album by the seminal Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist (Eng. President of the Republic). This album was recorded in Finland and Sweden (vocals only) and originally released internationally on SonetFind albums on this label Records and locally on LoveFind albums on this label Records. The group was founded in 1969 by two ex-members of the group Blues SectionFind albums by this artist: bassist / keyboardist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist and British vocalist Frank RobsonFind albums by this artist and two members of HelpFind albums by this artist (led by vocalist Eero RaittinenFind albums by this artist): drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist and finally a seasoned saxophonist / flautist Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist, Vesa´s brother, who was a member of SoulsetFind albums by this artist. The group recorded their debut album the same year, which was one of the earliest releases on the absolutely legendary Finnish Love Records (catalog number LRLP 7), the home of the dazzling Finish music of the late 1960s and 1970s, which released an astonishing catalog of almost 400 LPs. By the time this album was recorded Juhani Aaltonen left to be replaced by another superb saxophone / flute player Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist and so did Frank Robson, who was replaced by Eero Raittinen (see above). Tolonen, who started to develop a successful solo career and released his debut album "Tolonen!Find albums with this title" in 1971 (also on Sonet), became the group´s resident composer and wrote almost all the music on this album, except for one piece, which was composed by Poyry. The album presented six extended tracks, two of which were instrumentals. The lyrics were written by bassist Mats HuldenFind albums by this artist, founding member of WigwamFind albums by this artist, "the other" seminal Finnish Prog supergroup at the time. This expanded edition adds the two sides of the band´s single as bonus tracks. The music is classic Progressive Rock of the period, with complex compositions often combining several themes into a single musical piece. The vocal parts are relatively limited and most of the music is devoted to instrumental improvisations, with a strong Jazzy influence, which continues the Jazz-Rock element of the earlier albums. Tolonen and Poyry offer plenty of bloodcurdling soloing, which remains completely relevant to this very day. In retrospect this album stands out as one of the finest achievements of the European Prog in early 1970s, before the genre lost most of its steam and originality in the years that followed. For lovers of early European Jazz-Rock Fusion and Progressive Rock this is an absolute gem and a must in any serious music collection of that period. Thanks to the great Finnish SvartFind albums on this label Records for their fantastic job of keeping the Finnish musical legacy alive.

Updated: 21/04/2020Posted: 21/04/2020

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ LIVE IN LAMBERTLAND SVART 387 (Barcode: 6430065588559) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1972 Released: 2019 This is an archival album by the seminal Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist (Eng. President of the Republic). This material was recorded live on three separate occasions in the summer of 1972, after the album "LambertlandFind albums with this title" was recorded in the studio in the spring of that year, and offers mostly renditions of the material from that album except for one composition originating from the debut alum by the guitarist (see below). The recordings were done by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), which similarly to the BBC has bottomless archives of absolutely sensational material recorded over the years, which offers an amazing opportunity to hear past treasures, usually captured with a superb sound quality. All the material on this 2CD album was previously unissued. The group was founded in 1969 by two ex-members of the group Blues SectionFind albums by this artist: bassist / keyboardist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist and British vocalist Frank RobsonFind albums by this artist and two members of HelpFind albums by this artist (led by vocalist Eero RaittinenFind albums by this artist): drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist and finally a seasoned saxophonist / flautist Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist, Vesa´s brother, who was a member of SoulsetFind albums by this artist. The group recorded their debut album the same year, which was one of the earliest releases on the absolutely legendary Finnish LoveFind albums on this label Records (catalog number LRLP 7), the home of the dazzling Finish music of the late 1960s and 1970s, which released an astonishing catalog of almost 400 LPs. By the time this material was recorded Juhani Aaltonen left to be replaced by another superb saxophone / flute player Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist and so did Frank Robson, who was replaced by Eero Raittinen (see above). Tolonen, who started to develop a successful solo career and released his debut album "Tolonen!Find albums with this title" in 1971 (on SonetFind albums on this label), became the group´s resident composer and wrote almost all the music on the "Lambertland" album, except for one piece, which was composed by Poyry. The lyrics were written by bassist Mats HuldenFind albums by this artist, founding member of WigwamFind albums by this artist, "the other" seminal Finnish Prog supergroup at the time. The music, as usual with live recordings, offers much more expanded versions of the studio material, which feature long and complex instrumental improvisations, and as a result bring this music closer to the Jazz-Rock Fusion idiom than the original album´s Progressive Rock ambience. The strong Jazzy influence is more obvious and allows Tolonen and Poyry to produce plenty of bloodcurdling soloing, superbly supported by the rhythm section and even the vocal parts feature some wordless vocalese. Overall this music is a splendid example what this group was capable off at their absolute best. For lovers of early European Jazz-Rock Fusion and Progressive Rock this is an absolute gem and a must in any serious music collection of that period. Thanks to the great Finnish SvartFind albums on this label Records for their fantastic job of keeping the Finnish musical legacy alive.

Updated: 24/04/2020Posted: 24/04/2020

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ STATE VISIT SVART 585 (Barcode: 6430080231034) ~ FINLAND ~ Progressive Rock Recorded: 1972 Released: 2022 This is an archival live release by the legendary Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist. It presents six tracks recorded by the second lineup of the group, which included vocalist Eero RaittinenFind albums by this artist, flautists / saxophonist / keyboardist Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist, bassist Heikki VirtanenFind albums by this artist and drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded live by the Swedish Radio during two separate concerts performed five months apart in 1973, and offers an exceptional sound quality and clarity. All the material is previously unreleased. The album presents six tracks, three of which are of extended duration (14, 19 or 21 minutes+) and the other three are shorter (6 or 7 minutes+), which means that the band was able to play at will without any time restrictions usually set during a studio recording. The material was composed almost completely by Tolonen, except for one tune composed by Poyry. Musically the band was light-years ahead of most of their contemporaries, both in Finland and in Europe at large, mixing Rock with Jazz and even Improvised Music already at this early stage. The three expanded pieces show how the music flowed organically incorporating pre-composed material and then improvising on the themes at length. The band is somewhat less experimental and Free Form oriented than what can be heard on the “The Lost 1971 Studio SessionFind albums with this title” but still there is a lot of improvisations, which are completely spontaneously created in the spur of the moment, which of course was quite normal in Jazz but rarely encountered in Rock or Prog. The material includes mostly compositions from the brilliant “LambertlandFind albums with this title” and “Milky Way MosesFind albums with this title” (not yet recorded at the time) albums. Overall, this is an absolutely astounding find as far as Finnish music is concerned and a Milestone of recorded Finnish music of the early 1970s, both thanks to the quality and scarcity of such material and the incredible sound quality it was preserved in. This is an absolute must have for all Finnish / European Fusion / Prog fans, no questions asked!

Updated: 18/02/2023Posted: 18/02/2023

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI (II) SVART 298 (Barcode: 6430065588535) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Blues Fusion Recorded: 1970 Released: 2019 This is a reissue of the second album by the seminal Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist (Eng. President of the Republic). This album, same as the debut, was also eponymous and therefore its title is often supplemented with (II) to distinguish between the two. This album was recorded in Sweden and originally released on Swedish EMIFind albums on this label in hope of exposing the group to a wider European audience. The group was founded in 1969 by two ex-members of the group Blues SectionFind albums by this artist: bassist / keyboardist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist and British vocalist Frank RobsonFind albums by this artist and two members of HelpFind albums by this artist (led by vocalist Eero RaittinenFind albums by this artist): drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist and guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist and finally a seasoned saxophonist / flautist Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist, Vesa´s brother, who was a member of SoulsetFind albums by this artist. The group recorded their debut album the same year, which was one of the earliest releases on the absolutely legendary Finnish LoveFind albums on this label Records (catalog number LRLP 7), the home of the dazzling Finish music of the late 1960s and 1970s, which released an astonishing catalog of almost 400 LPs. By the time this album was recorded Juhani Aaltonen left to be replaced by another superb saxophone / flute player Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine original tunes, eight of which feature lyrics (in English) by Robson. The music was composed by Groundstroem, Tolonen and Robson or co-composed by all members of the group. The music is absolutely stunning and every bit as good as the best efforts produced at the time in the UK. With a big heavy sound, obvious Blues influence and featuring wicked flute solos it resembles the early albums by Jethro TullFind albums by this artist and many other proto Jazz-Rock Fusion and Progressive bands of the era. Robson´s expressive vocals and English accent make this music sound as if produced by a British group, which enabled Tasavallan Presidentti to tour the UK several times, where I heard and met them for the first time. The unique combination of extraordinary instrumental abilities and sublime songwriting, which was about to explode on their next album "LambertlandFind albums with this title" made Tasavallan Presidentti one of the unforgettable and iconic bands in Finnish music history, which in its entirety remains one of the greatest hidden treasures of the European music scene. For lovers of early European Jazz-Rock Fusion and Progressive Rock this is an absolute gem and a must in any serious music collection of that period. Thanks to the great Finnish SvartFind albums on this label Records for their fantastic job of keeping the Finnish musical legacy alive.

Updated: 21/04/2020Posted: 20/04/2020

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI ~ THE LOST 1971 STUDIO SESSION SVART 662 (Barcode: 6430080231041) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1971 Released: 2022 This is an archival release by the legendary Finnish Jazz-Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock group Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist. It presents four tracks recorded by the first lineup of the group, which included British vocalist Frank RobsonFind albums by this artist, flautists / saxophonist / keyboardist Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist, bassist Mans GroundstroemFind albums by this artist and drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist. The music was recorded by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company) in the autumn of 1971 and offers an exceptional sound quality and clarity. All the material is previously unreleased. The album presents just four tracks, two of which are of extended duration (13 or 16 minutes+) and the other two are shorter (4 or 7 minutes+), which means that the band were able to play at will without any time restrictions set by the studio. The material was composed by Tolonen (first two pieces) or co-composed by the band members (the last two pieces). Musically the band was light-years ahead of most of their contemporaries, both in Finland and in Europe at large, mixing Rock with Jazz and even Improvised Music already at this early stage. The two expanded pieces show how the music flowed organically incorporating some pre-composed material and then improvising on the themes at length. Especially interesting are the parts of the improvisations, which are completely Free Form and spontaneously created in the spur of the moment, which of course was quite normal in Jazz but rarely encountered in Rock or Prog. Overall, this is an absolutely astounding find as far as Finnish music is concerned and a Milestone of recorded Finnish music of the early 1970s, both thanks to the quality and scarcity of such material and the incredible sound quality it was preserved in. This is an absolute must have for all Finnish / European Fusion / Prog fans, no questions asked!

Updated: 15/02/2023Posted: 15/02/2023

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TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI / JUKKA HAURU & SUPERKINGS ~ POP LIISA VOL. 01 & VOL. 02 SVART 003 (Barcode: 6430050665647) ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz-Rock Fusion Recorded: 1973 Released: 2016 By the time this live broadcast was captured on tape Tasavallan PresidenttiFind albums by this artist, first Finnish Fusion / Prog Supergroup, already released three seminal albums and were about to release their fourth (and sadly last) album "Milky Way MosesFind albums with this title" recorded earlier in London. The lineup underwent another change when the new bass player Heikki VirtanenFind albums by this artist joined vocalist Eero RaittinenFind albums by this artist, guitarist Jukka TolonenFind albums by this artist, saxophonist Pekka PoyryFind albums by this artist and drummer Vesa AaltonenFind albums by this artist. The group performs just two extended pieces, full of lengthy instrumental improvisations kept in a jam session mood with a strong Fusion orientation. The first piece is a composition by the legendary Jazz saxophonist Eero KoivistoinenFind albums by this artist, which originates from his Jazz & Poetry album "ValtakuntaFind albums with this title", where it was sung by Raittinen, and which was also recorded on the a.m. fourth album in its English version with the lyrics translated by Jim PembrokeFind albums by this artist, a member of WigwamFind albums by this artist (yes there was a strong bond between these two pioneering Finnish groups). The second piece is a rendition of one of the songs appearing on the third album "LambertlandFind albums with this title" composed by Tolonen. Considering that eighteen months passed between the original recording of this song and this broadcast, it is not surprising that this version is diametrically different from the original, and present a much more Jazz oriented approach which even explores some Free Form elements. Overall this recording presents Tasavallan Presidentti at their absolute peak and offers an amazing example of European / Finnish Fusion created at the time. Guitarist Jukka HauruFind albums by this artist was part of the Finnish Fusion scene and was closely related to the Tasavallan Presidentti gang, since he was substituting for Tolonen whenever needed between 1972 and 1974. He was considered as a superb guitarist, which the recordings herein prove beyond any doubt. He gathered a group of excellent top Finnish players for the purpose of recording his debut album "InformationFind albums with this title", which appears here jokingly renamed to SuperkingsFind albums by this artist. Again not surprisingly it includes two Tasavallan Presidentti members: Virtanen and Aaltonen, as well as violinist Juhani PoutanenFind albums by this artist, pianist Olli AhvenlahtiFind albums by this artist and percussionist Reino LaineFind albums by this artist. Together the sextet performs four original compositions, three by Hauru and one by Poutanen, one of which appears on the a.m. debut album and three were unrecorded at the time. The music is even more Jazz oriented that the Tasavallan Presidentti set, offering much more freedom than the usual Fusion played at the time, with a strong Zappaesque tinge and obvious extended instrumental soloing. Overall this is some of the most staggering music created in Europe in the early 1970s that one is able to hear and for Fusion and Jazz oriented Prog-heads this is an absolute must have! Side Note The Finnish independent label SvartFind albums on this label Records released an unprecedented series of albums called Pop Liisa and Jazz Liisa, which present priceless historical recordings of Finnish Rock, Progressive Rock, Jazz-Rock Fusion and Jazz music, recorded live and broadcasted from the Liisankatu Studios in Helsinki under the "Popstudio" and "Jazzstudio" monikers between 1972 and 1977. The studios were owned by the YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Company), a public broadcasting service, which not only allowed the burgeoning Finnish music scene at the time to be exposed but also carefully archived the recordings for future generations. All this incredible music was previously unissued and collectively is probably the most important document of Finnish music from that period ever assembled. The music was released on 36 LPs (Pop Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18 and Jazz Liisa Vol. 01 to Vol. 18) and on 18 CDs with every two consecutive volumes combined on one CD. The sound quality is absolutely superb, often better than the sound quality on the LPs released by these artists at the time. Many of the groups appearing on these albums never managed to record an album and these recordings are the only recorded legacy in existence of their activity. The released are accompanied by well researched and intelligent liner notes. This archival project is an outstanding example of how Cultural Legacy should be treated as well as of exemplary dedication to record producing professionalism.

Updated: 29/04/2020Posted: 29/04/2020

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