Matti P This is the first of three albums bringing together the legendary Finnish saxophonist Eero Koivistoinen (b. 1946) and vocalist Johanna Iivanainen (b. 1976). She actually would deserve a JMA entry of her own, even though as a versatile musician she's not restricted to the jazz genre: she's equally at home in the lyrics-oriented vocal music and jazzy pop, plus gospel and children's music. I found her albums roughly two decades ago, well before she became more widely known from the Finnish reality TV show SuomiLOVE where people surprise their loved ones with intimate live performances of songs dear to them. She's got a beautiful, crystal clear voice that sounds very warm-hearted and sincere.

There are ten songs on this album. The arrangements are by Koivistoinen, as well as some of the compositions, but the emphasis is on the cover performances of fairly well known Finnish songs from oldies (from the 40's or so) to a rock classic. Koivistoinen's band features seasoned jazz musicians such as pianist Seppo Kantonen (who has worked with Pekka Pohjola), guitarist Teemu Viinikainen, etc. Everyone involved does great work within Koivistoinen's top notch arranging skills. The stylistic spectre of the original songs is very wide, but this album is a thoroughly coherent and original work of jazz.

Without dealing with the entire set in detail, here's a few words for chosen tracks. The title song is Koivistoinen's composition to Jorma Etto's ironic poem depicting the stubborn, non-urban Finnish mentality. 'Tahdon rakastella sinua' (= I want to make love to you) is originally an early 80's energetic rock song written by Ari Taskinen for the punk rocker Pelle Miljoona. This elegant, slow-tempo version is full of sensuality perfectly fitting the lyrics. 'Sinua, sinua rakastan' is one of the best known 60's songs of the legendary vocal music composer Kaj Chydenius, with lyrics of Aulikki Oksanen.

This set has a bigger emphasis on songs more familiar to the older Finnish genarations (e.g. 'Pieni sydän', 'Rempallaan' and 'Kotkan ruusu'), compared to the albums Lennosta Kii! (2007) and Kaupungin Valot (2009) that feature slightly more pop/rock songs, but still Suomalainen is more or less as satisfying.

Matti P The Finnish saxophonist and composer EERO KOIVISTOINEN (b. 1946) made his debut album Valtakunta after the collapse of Blues Section, the legendary Proto-Prog band that featured future Wigwam or Tasavallan Presidentti members such as Jim Pembroke. Valtakunta (= Empire) is an extremely unique album. Being composed on modern Finnish poetry, it was originally released in a series of Otava's literary records, even though Love Records would have been pleased to release it.

The poets behind the lyrics are Tuomas Anhava, Pentti Saarikoski, Jarkko Laine and Hannu Mäkelä. Several of the pieces feature spoken word rather than singing, and I think that only increases the album's charming personality. Sitar and flute are essential in the backing of Eero Raittinen's reading about the daily routines on 'Kello kuusi' (= Six o'clock). 'Lennosta kii!' later found its way with English lyrics ('Caught from the Air') on the Tasavallan Presidentti album Milky Way Moses (1974), again with Eero Raittinen on vocals.

The clearest jazz tones are heard on 'Television ohjelma on loppunut' (= The program on TV has ended) in which Koivistoinen himself reads Saarikoski's poem. Other vocalists on the album are Vesa-Matti Loiri ('Vorwärts') and Seija Simola, the entertainment chanseuse, whose tracks 'Hiljainen hetki' and 'Tuutulaulu' are IMHO album highlights.

Valtakunta is a delightful musical collache that bravely ignores the boundaries between genres. It has rock, jazz, spoken poetry, and rather experimental details, too. The line-up contained Koivistoinen's former band mates from Blues Section and some of the key figures of the Finnish jazz of the era. On the back cover Koivistoinen thanks e.g. Bach, The Beatles, Ravi Shankar and Frank Zappa for inspiration. I won't give the full rating often in this site, but I feel this is a special case deserving it.

Sean Trane The present album is a bit of an electric UFO is Koivistoinen’s generally acoustic discography, a bit of a one-shot, made from an sudden urge to investigate and the line-up assembled never played a single gig outside these studio sessions. Recorded on the tail end of 72 and released the following year on the Discophon label, the album features a double guitarist, double bassist, double Rhodes players, double drummers and double percussionist line-up with assorted horn players, on top of Eero’s own lead sax. This double everything was intently done to allow for complex compositions and funky interplay. Interestingly enough during these Wahoo! Recording sessions (lasting almost a month), another album was recorded and released (Third Version) and it was much more acoustic. An interesting semi-erotic but futuristic (for then) artwork also intrigues the eyes as well.

The huge majority of the album is a bit derived from a funk-rock-jazz that Miles developed with On The Corner and some of Traffic’s Low Spark Shootout longer numbers with slightly dissonant passages, but this Wahoo! is probably more accessible than Miles of Traffic jams, with better-drawn solo parts. The six instrumental tracks (three aside) are ranging from nearly 5 to almost 11-mins, and all features fairly up-tempoed rhythms, except for the slower 7 Up track which is more experimental and dissonant, a bit like an intro that never outroes and segues logically into 6 Down, which returns to the general album canvas. The album-longest Suite 19 opening the flipside starts opens gently on flutes and sax and takes its sweet time to slowly climb up the fusion ladder with a pulsing bass and funky guitar and wild traffic-styled congas, while the shorter Bells track is a slower reflective mood as well. The closing title tracks hovers sonically between some light Mwandishi and some pre-Head Hunters.

Quite an excellent one-shot album from a usually-acoustic jazzman, designed to please fusionheads, but it’s not like it’s anything essential to a discotheque, but it can be seen as a nice consolidation brick of your JR/F section.

snobb The best funky fusion album ever recorded by Finnish musician,seriously!

Eero Koivistoinen have released some acoustic jazz albums before "Wahoo!", but there he switched to very intensive electric sound,influenced by American leading fusion musicians of that time.Eero plays electric soprano sax with support of groovy rhythm section (two bassists and two drummers), 4-pieces horn section, keyboardist,two guitarists and two percussionists! Solid,almost rock-heavy in a moments sound is full of funkiness.

Eero uses wah-wah pedal and Variton connected amplified soprano sax, and in combination with fuzzy bass,distorted Rhodes and wah-wah guitars growls album's music reminds all electric Miles,early McLaughlin and Weather Report music at the same time.

Absolutely exciting evidence of golden era early 70s fusion, this album was for years collectors wet dream, while released on vinyl only in Finland in 1973 (the original Lp issue was only 600 copies!). Re-released by Whatmusic on CD for the first time in 2000 only it became much more accessible, but still stays on the shade.

Highly recommended for every early fusion fan - this album is of the same musical quality as leading genre's album are!

snobb Possibly not every jazz fan knows, but Finnish jazz scene was extremely active and of very high class during late 60s - early 70s. Plenty of jazz clubs,regular concerts of world leading jazz artists and very inspired atmosphere between young domestic musicians and bands.From 1969 to 1972 or 1973 there are some excellent world class fusion albums, recorded by young Finnish jazz musicians. Leading names of that wave were Pekka Pohjola,Jukka Tolonen and Eero Koivistoinen. Fusion fever got burned very soon, but Finnish jazz scene saved excellent jazz school and jazz lovers culture in general for decades.Leading jazz artists of that time continued their musical career, possibly no more as super stars of young generation, but as excellent musicians on local and international jazz scene.

Two decades later leading Finnish reeds player Eero Koivistoinen recorded possibly his strongest release for almost twenty years - Altered Things. Almost all collaborators on this album are highest class American post-fusion musicians, including such names as drummer Jack DeJohnette, trumpeter Randy Brecker or guitarist John Scofield. The only other non-American musician besides of Eero himself is leading Norwegian keyboardist Bugge Wesseltoft (presented on 3 tracks). Album was recorded in New Yourk as well and its sound represent fantastic combination of American jazz tradition (read - electric period Miles Davis,etc) and Nordic clear and precise sound.

All compositions but two are Koivistoinen's and represent mainly post-fusion's era neo-bop.Crystal sound, reeds soloing perfection, compositions, varied in tunes and rhythmical structure all are just best contemporary post-bop could be find!And possibly one more important ingredient - this album sounds as recorded in mid 90s, but by its inspiration comes from late 60s!

Listen to this release if you're disappointed in modern (in moments secondary and boring) post-bop and you will feel the taste to that genre again!