Mika Pohjola, Miguel Zenón, Ben Monder, Fernando Huergo & Roberto Dani: Landmark - Remastered Expanded Edition (BLUE MUSIC GROUP 2018)

This remarkable disc features Mika Pohjola's crafty ensemble, with Miguel Zenón on alto sax and flute, Ben Monder on guitar, Fernando Huergo on bass, and Roberto Dani on drums, with Johanna Grüssner contributing haunting vocals on occasion. Pohjola plays Fender Rhodes and other electric keys in addition to acoustic piano; on Landmark and Retrospectives he doubles certain melodies on harpsichord, as he has done on two previous albums (he may well be the first musician to employ the arcane instrument in a modern jazz ensemble, although Herbie Hancock played an electric harpsichord on a couple of unissued Miles Davis tracks in the late 60s.)

Compositionally, Pohjola's work is involved yet infectious and profoundly melodic, driven by the virtuosity and strong personalities of his players. On tracks like Screenplay and Future Apparent the band purveys a hip, appealing species of electric jazz. Pohjola's mellower side comes through on A Ballad About Something and Old Couples Lullaby. In contrast, he makes loud mischief on the rhythmically skewered punk of Young in the '80s and conveys a peculiar, semi-rubato feel on the evocative Summer Garden (which features Monder and Dani in a duo exchange toward the end). Pohjola also works wonders with Grüssner's voice on an inspired arrangement of the fourth century Ambrosian hymn, as well as the Finnish-titled Reppurin Laulu (Vagabond's Song), the lyrics of which are in the Karelian language.

The highly recommended Landmark sets the bar very high for creative music.There is an underground alternative jazz scene that is beginning to bubble over the surface and its starting to leak into all the different areas of music and culture. It's based in Manhattan New York. People like Mika are leading the way. When you get a four star review with the All Music Guide you have made the grade. This gentleman has arrived in a big way. I knew that he would, and the deserving recognition was just around the corner after the last release. Yes, I knew that he was special, and so will you when you hear his music. This is the perfect title for this CD; it is no doubt a Landmark release. - Down Beat 

1. Landmark 06:18

2. Screenplay 06:53

3. A Ballad about Something 04:17

4. Future Apparent 05:01

5. Isämme kiitos päivästä (Thank You, Lord, for This Day) 02:25

6. Old Couples Lullaby 04:54

7. Young in the 80s 07:34

8. Forest Nocturne 03:42

9. Passing Recline 05:19

10. Movements in Style 02:18

11. Summer Garden 04:32

12. MikaSonik Theme 00:36

13. Retrospectives 08:11

14. Now Came to Us 03:14

15. Reppurin laulu (Vagabond's Song) 04:43

16. Old Manhattan Tango 04:57

17. Future Apparent (Live in Stockholm) 07:06

18. Old Couples Lullaby (Live in Stockholm) 05:32

19. Old Manhattan Tango (Live in Stockholm) 07:33

20. Screenplay (Live in Stockholm) 08:10

21. Landmark (Live in Stockholm) 07:31

22. Now Came to Us (Live in Stockholm) 03:11

23. Announcement - MikaSonik Theme (Live in Stockholm) 15:50

24. Passing Recline (Live in Stockholm) 05:14

25. Movements in Style (Live in Stockholm) 03:14

26. Summer Garden (Live in Stockholm) 06:19

27. Young in the 80s (Live in Stockholm) 08:12

28. A Ballad about Something (Live in Stockholm) 05:59

29. Retrospectives - MikaSonik Theme (Live in Stockholm) 10:39

30. Nights Flights Spice (Quartet Version 1) 08:14

31. My Mother Turned Fifty (Quartet Version) 06:15

32. Old Couples Lullaby (Quartet Version) 04:33

33. Screenplay (Quartet Version) 06:55

34. Announcement (Quartet Version) 08:13

35. Summer Garden (Quartet Version) 05:56

36. When Things Will Change (Quartet Version) 09:55

37. Movements in Style (Quartet Version) 04:47

38. Nights Flights Spice (Quartet Version 2) 07:59

39. Landmark (Take 1) 06:03

40. Passing Recline (Take 1) 04:35

41. Forest Nocturne (Take 2) 03:26

42. A Ballad About Something (Take 1) 04:10

43. Summer Garden (Take 2) 04:50

44. Screenplay (Take 2) 06:12

45. Future Apparent (Live in New York City) 05:52

46. Landmark (Live in New York City) 05:56

47. Old Manhattan Tango (Live in New York City) 05:45

48. Passing Recline (Live in New York City) 05:30

49. Screenplay (Live in New York City) 06:30

50. Young in the 80s (Live in New York City) 07:14

Mika Pohjola - piano, harpsichord, fender rhodes, all compositions (except 5 and 15)

Miguel Zenón - saxophone, flute

Ben Monder - guitar

Fernando Huergo - bass

Roberto Dani - drums

Johanna Grüssner - voice (1, 5, 6, 7, 13, 15)

Matt Penman - bass (32-38)

Mika Pohjola, Chris Cheek, Matt Penman & Roberto Dani: Announcement - Remastered Expanded Edition (BLUE MUSIC GROUP 2018)

Mika Pohjola is a superb technician who also possesses a crafty compositional pen as the artist generally pushes his creative faculties to the limits, evidenced by an increasingly rich recorded legacy. With this 1998 effort, the pianist along with saxophonist Chris Cheek and longtime running mates, drummer Roberto Dani and bassist Matt Penman integrate ferocious soloing into a palate often consisting of vibrant choruses, peppery exchanges, swiftly executed rhythms and lyrically rich unison lines. However, Pohjola also excels as a forward thinking visionary who draws upon widespread influences, whether it is far eastern modalities, Scandinavian folk or the hustle and bustle of Manhattan, while also injecting innocent, lullaby style melodies into the grand scheme of things. Simply stated, Announcement represents a joyous event that supersedes a good portion of the nondescript, overly hyped, and rigorously marketed 90's and 2000 brand of post-bop, whereas this refreshing and altogether stirring production imparts a lasting impression. – Glenn Astarita, All Music Guide

1. Party 08:29

2. Indian Restaurant 03:29

3. Announcement (Kungörelse) 08:29

4. Thinking, Wondering, Dreaming 06:04

5. When Things Will Change 08:19

6. Hair, Scarf & Fragrance 06:29

7. A Portrait of Three Statues 07:40

8. Maalaiselämää (Country Living) 03:46

9. Relax in the Sun 06:53

10. Mustat Ruusut (Black Roses) 04:15

11. Frau von Stroyanowsky 05:02

12. My Mother Turned Fifty 04:40

13. Kids' Song 01:57

14. The Ice That Breaks 04:17

15. The Secret of the Castle 07:28

16. Romance 04:05

17. A Swedish Fairy-tale 07:40

18. A Visit to Look Forward to 06:39

19. And She Appeared 09:32

20. Snapshots 03:21

21. Hymn of the Immortals 04:09

22. Muistoja Torkkelinmäeltä (Memories from Hometown) 04:04

23. A Farmer's Dream 08:21

24. Reverie 05:46

25. Kaféet 05:42

26. Party (Take 3) 09:07

27. Party (Take 4) 07:46

28. Hair, Scarf & Fragrance (Take 1) 06:25

29. Hair, Scarf & Fragrance (Take 2) 06:24

30. Hair, Scarf & Fragrance (Take 3) 06:29

31. A Portrait of Three Statues (Take 1) 07:37

32. Mustat Ruusut (Black Roses) [Take 4] 04:27

33. Frau von Stroyanowsky (Take 1) 04:36

34. Kids' Song (Take 1) 02:00

35. A Portrait of Three Statues (Composite Take) 09:17

36. Relax in the Sun (Take 1) 06:43

37. Snapshots (Take 1) 03:54

38. The Ice That Breaks (Solo Piano version) 05:59

39. A Swedish Fairy-tale (Take 2) 09:14

40. The Ice That Breaks (Short Solo Piano version) 01:47

41. Kids' Song Story (Original CD version) 01:18

42. Kids' Song Story (Alternate Mix 1) 01:04

43. Kids' Song Story (Alternate Mix 2) 01:21

44. Kids' Song Story (Alternate Mix 3) 01:21

45. When Things Will Change (Live in Finland) 11:54

46. Indian Restaurant (Live in Finland) 04:59

47. Announcement (Live in Finland) 12:02

48. Fall of 1978 (Live in Finland) 11:35

49. Hair, Scarf & Fragrance (Live in Finland) 07:42

50. Party (Live in Finland) 12:21

Mika Pohjola - piano & all compositions

Chris Cheek - saxophones

Matt Penman - bass

Roberto Dani - drums