Daily jazz blog, Marlbank

Anni Kiviniemi Trio, Eir, WeJazz ***1/2

A lot of new piano music on the site today - but this is the only piano trio and what a revelation it proves. Led by the Finn Anni Kiviniemi you get a sense of the national obsession with tango on opener 'Tiu Dropar' and as the album progresses …

Published: 26 Jan 2024. Updated: 4 months.

A lot of new piano music on the site today - but this is the only piano trio and what a revelation it proves. Led by the Finn Anni Kiviniemi you get a sense of the national obsession with tango on opener 'Tiu Dropar' and as the album progresses certainly a strong classical technique grounded in the Romantics can be gleaned. Compatriots bassist Eero Tikkanen and drummer Hans Hulbaekmo are the pianist's bandmates here, all the tunes are originals and convincing they are too. If you are into Iiro Rantala or even more to the point Alexi Tuomarila then you'll be at home here with Kiviniemi's approach. Pick of the tunes - oh not easy but perhaps the impressionism of 'Mére' wins the day.

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Track of the week: Dayna Stephens, 'Bubbly,' Cellar Live

Bit of a gear shift here for saxophonist Dayna Stephens with the foil of interesting sounding guitarist Emmanuel Michael opposite him, think a sound like a cross between Mary Halvorson and Bill Frisell. Drummer Jongkuk Kim is tremendous in opening …

Published: 26 Jan 2024. Updated: 6 months.

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Bit of a gear shift here for saxophonist Dayna Stephens with the foil of interesting sounding guitarist Emmanuel Michael opposite him, think a sound like a cross between Mary Halvorson and Bill Frisell. Drummer Jongkuk Kim is tremendous in opening the tune up rumbling under Michael's solo - the line-up on the track is completed by bassist Kanoa Mendenhall. Stephens' mournful lead sax line is masterfully understated and yet says so much - from the Cellar Live album Closer Than We Think out in April.