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  | HEIKKI SARMANTO ~ MOONFLOWER
PORTER 4000 ~ FINLAND ~ Jazz
Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007
Finnish pianist / composer Heikki SarmantoFind albums by this artist recorded this album as a gesture of closing one of many of his "life-circles". Nearing the age of 70 he returns to a session recorded almost 4 decades earlier in Boston, where he attended the Berklee Collage. The quartet present here (Sarmanto on piano, Juhani AaltonenFind albums by this artist on saxophone, Pekka SarmantoFind albums by this artist on bass and Craig HerndonFind albums by this artist on drums) includes three of the 1970 quintet members, which recorded the music recently released as "A Boston DateFind albums with this title" on the PorterFind albums on this label label – a youthful foray into Free Form improvisation.
This album re-examines some of the compositions used during that session, as well as adding several more recent ones, all composed by Sarmanto (except one tune). During the years that separate the Boston session and this recording, Sarmanto created a vast body of music both in the Jazz and contemporary Classical Music, earning a worldwide recognition as one of world´s leading composers and performers. His contribution to the process of forging the European Jazz scene in the early 1970s is a monumental achievement in itself, but his entire career if full of superb triumphs. It is quite natural for people to mellow in time, and in Sarmanto´s case the process of his development as a musician "mellowing" means refinement and intensification of his natural gift into a blissful perfection.
This quartet recording is an ideal exercise in delicacy and sophistication, with deeply melodic flow ornamented by superb soloing. The music is coherent, but intricate and full of gorgeous musical details. These musicians are all true Masters, with great respect to musical traditions in every genre, be it Jazz, Classical Music or Folklore. Listening to the album inspires a warm, fuzzy feeling of total delight, with every note just right and every phrase just perfect. Absolutely not to be missed!
| | Updated: 29/09/2017Posted: | CD 1 Recommend To A Friend |
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