Two absolutely superb piano players from different musical worlds: Bruno Canino, as a representative of art music, and Enrico Pieranunzi, as a representative of jazz. Two Americas, the Northern one and the Southern one, and some of the greatest composers from both. To what extent is music beautifully gifted with making a universal language flow out, beyond genres, places, artists, composers, performers? Listening to Americas one is again led to realize that apparent contrasts are actually bonds consisting of irresistible mutual attractions, common points, osmotic relations.
The Americas project has been conceived for two pianos intertwining like cultures and musical worlds do. Here, between Canino and Pieranunzi, it matters little who is playing “what” and “when”. What one is listening to is the search for sonic beauty, starting from the romantic Argentina by Carlos Guastavino through the stylised though forceful Cuba depicted by Aaron Copland in Danzón Cubano and the innovative tango and milonga by Astor Piazzolla. And then there is the ragtime by William Bolcom and George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm”. Is it a journey? A passionate dialogue? Or a tale? Whatever the image this record conjures up in listeners’ minds, Americas is definitely great music, confident that culture is not entrenching in what one already knows but breaking conventions, boundaries, mutual inflexibility.
Like Bruno Canino and Enrico Pieranunzi did by playing face to face, each backed up by his own strong cultural background and, for this very reason, splendidly creative and versatile.
Unbridled and in-the-zone Kalevi Louhivuori. The Finnish trumpeter, already in the spotlight with the outstanding Big Blue quartet, is releasing a new, fanciful and ironic project on CAM JAZZ. The concept here is to flirt with famous American standards, which would, so far, be rather conventional. But Louhivuori’s brainwave is not about reinterpreting them, more or less faithfully, but picking up on each of them to produce fresh compositions.
That’s how a “Take 4”, clearly inspired by Paul Desmond’s world-famous “Take 5”, or a “6 Steps To Heaven”, just one step behind Miles Davis’, turned up on this CD. The eight tracks featuring “Almost American Standards” were recorded with the valuable contribution of an all-Finnish combo: Ville Vannemaa on sax, Mikael Myrskog on piano, Eero Seppä on double bass and Jaska Lukkarinen on drums. Fifty minutes of excellent music, in which the pleasure of listening is combined with that of searching for charm, reference and the refined art of flirting with sources and heading towards fresh, amazing sonic destinations. It’s up to the listener to find out which muse is behind each piece and try to trace the original, detecting similarities with and differences in Louhivuori’s writing.
Under the supervision of music producer Ermanno Basso, “Almost American Standards” was recorded and mixed by Abdissa Mamba Assefa at Studio Martin in Helsinki on August 24 and 26, 2015, and mastered by Danilo Rossi.
Jazzkulttuuriin kuuluva projektiluonteisuus antaa luovalla muusikolle loistavat mahdollisuudet luodata omia kiinnostuksen kohteitaan: sen kun vain perustaa uuden bändin jokaiselle intohimolleen. Trumpetisti Kalevi Louhivuorella tällaista pakottavaa monipuolisuutta on, joten niitä bändejäkin tarvitaan monta. Mm. Sun Trion, Big Bluen ja The Northern Governorsin rinnalle on nyt syntynyt omaniminen jazzkvintetti.
Louhivuoren säveltämillä kappaleilla hakeudutaan tällä kertaa jazzin amerikkalaisten jättiläisten jalkojen juureen. Levynkansien kiitoksissa nostetaan erityisesti esille nimet Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Duke Ellington ja Ahmad Jamal. Bop-pohjainen musiikki on yhtyeen lähtökohta, mutta poikkeuksellisen freesiltä maistuvana ja omaksi tyyliteltynä.
Mistä näitä upeita nuoria soittajia oikein riittää? Louhivuoren ohella vain rumpali Jaska Lukkarinen kaikille suomijazzia seuranneille tuttu, mutta nämä uudemmat kollit, saksofonisti Ville Vannemaa, pianisti Mikael Myrskog ja basisti Eero Seppä hoitavat hommansa loistavasti. 50 minuutin upottava jazzflow vie mennessään. Pentti Ronkanen
Un Kalevi Louhivuori torrenziale e in stato di grazia. Il trombettista finlandese, già protagonista con il brillante quartetto Big Blue, si lega a CAM JAZZ con un nuovo progetto fantasioso e ironico. L’idea è quella di giocare con celebri standard americani, e fin qui sarebbe piuttosto tradizionale. Ma l’intuizione di Louhivuori sta nel non reinterpretarli, in modo più o meno fedele, bensì nel prendere spunto da ognuno di essi per scrivere composizioni originali. E così in scaletta saltano fuori una “Take 4”, chiaramente ispirata alla celeberrima “Take 5” di Paul Desmond, oppure una “6 Steps To Heaven”, distante un solo passo dalla composizione di Miles Davis. Gli otto brani che compongono questo “Almost American Standards” sono incisi con la preziosa collaborazione di un combo tutto finlandese: Ville Vannemaa al sax, Mikael Myrskog al piano, Eero Seppä al contrabbasso e Jaska Lukkarinen alla batteria. Cinquanta minuti di ottima musica, in cui al gusto dell’ascolto si somma quello per la ricerca della suggestione, del riferimento, della raffinata arte di saper giocare con la citazione e da lì partire verso destinazioni sonore nuove e sorprendenti. Starà all’ascoltatore scoprire quale nume tutelare si nasconde dietro ogni titolo, e cercare di risalire alla composizione originale, andando a trovare analogie e differenze con la scrittura di Louhivuori. “Almost American Standards” è stato registrato e mixato da Abdissa Mamba Assefa presso lo Studio Martin di Helsinki, tra il 24 e il 26 agosto 2015. Il mastering è stato curato da Danilo Rossi. La produzione artistica è di Ermanno Basso.
Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori aka J.K.L is one of Finland’s finest up-and-coming musicians/composers. He has toured around the world (Asia, Australia, Africa, U.S.A, Europe etc.) for concerts and giving workshops (Singapore Jazz School, North Melbourne Institute of Music, Kenyatta University in Kenia, Saxion Hogeschool in Holland etc.)
J.K.L has performed with many jazz legends of today like Dave Liebman, Al Foster, Hugh Masekela, Bob Mintzer among others. He works in numerous different bands & productions and is the leader of The Northern Governors, Sun Trio and J.K.L Quintet.
J.K.L is a composer, arranger, lyricist, producer and a singer. He writes music for all kinds of bands and his music varies from jazz to pop, from classical to afro-beat, from big bands to choirs and orchestras.
Work
International band competition, Macau: The Northern Governors won 10 000€: 3rd prize (2014)
Cam Jazz released Sun trio´s 3rd album “In The Dreamworld”during their album release tour in U.S and Canada (2014)
Composed and arranged a piece for Philomela choir (European Champion 2013) for their 30th anniversary
Composed march music and conducted a promotion procession for the Finnish President and 500 doctors (2013)
J.K.L´s band The Northern Governors opened for Norah Jones and Janelle Monae in Pori Jazz Festivals (2012)
UMO TALENT AWARD (2012)
1st prize Nömme Jazz International Jazz Trumpet Competition: 2011
2nd place Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition: Louisville 2009
1st prize at the International Independent New York Film Festival for the music video “Countless Ways” (directed by Zero Tuonela)
1st prize: Young Nordic Jazz Comets: Sun trio and soloist prize: Reykjavik, Iceland 2006
2nd prize International Jazz Soloist Competition: Monaco 2006
