IRO HAARLA — Vespers (review)

IRO HAARLA — Vespers album cover Album · 2011 · Post-Fusion Contemporary Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
snobb
ECM label releases from early 70s were very often an event (if not revolutionary) each. Unfortunately quite soon they found their formula combining crystal clear sound with cool atmosphere and always high quality but too comfortable and very predictable jazz (sometimes on the border with new age).It looked magic has gone forever.

It's great,that some decades later returning to their more current releases I can find adventurous music again (and more often during last years). Don't think they will switch to experimental jazz label ever, but it's really great their releases has that mature beauty of real jazz instead of one-time sound wallpapers they were deep in.

Finnish pianist and harpist Iro Haarla's second ECM release is one of such label's releases - great balance between pre-composed (even classic influenced) music and jazz improvs, aerial,very Nordic, but at the same time - warm and melodic.

Iro Haarla possibly isn't well known as solo artist, but for years she was very influenced to her later husband, finnish drummer Edward Vesala's music. He played with Garbarek as well as on many ECM collaborations and solo albums, and his wive was a main person who transformed his early chaotic and structureless free improvs to more organized ,even melodic compositions.

"Vespers" is avant-garde jazz album which doesn't sound much as such. Very female music - with million of nuances, softer edges and melancholic atmosphere, it never turns to mellow or nostalgic.Sax player Trygve Seim,bassist Uffe Krokfors and drummer Jon Christensen all are Nordic jazz veterans (all of them played with Edward Vesala as well),the only less experienced this Finnish-Norvegian quintet's member is trumpeter Mathias Eick, who demonstrates his absolute competency there.

Nine complex,but quite easy for listening fluid compositions of cool Nordic beauty and warmer melancholy with great interplays between all musicians - great ECM early 2011 release, one between their best albums during some last years.
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