More, much much more than a curate's egg - in other words better than just very decent in places but the key tracks are the first 4 of the 8. The first Agatha featuring Ilmiliekki Quartet Eurogreat Verneri Pohjola came out in 2007. Pianist, arranger, composer Kerkko Koskinen's style is syncretic and ranges from a kind of a Nino Rota inspiration dotted by debts to the serenity of Gil Evans, a sound impossible to avoid thinking about at the modal heart of the arranging, and even on 'Parade' moving into the more evanescent area Roy Budd never quite excavated. There is even again referring to 'Parade' a bit of a Peter and the Wolf type Prokofiev subliminal resemblance smuggled in during a brief diversion of a passage.
A cod tango - kiitos! - with vocals in Finnish at the indulgent end on 'Quiberon' is largely for home consumption but big fun even bearing in mind the language barrier. The UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra is nimble and responsive and in saxist Linda Fredriksson, basically a free player the salt to the sweeter inclinations of the orchestra, best heard in that winning wild aesthetic nobility that she has long since made her own on the touching but mercifully very unAndré Rieu-like 'Anime Waltz'. The soloist casting is immaculate.
MORE READING:
On Juniper - 2021
Linda Fredriksson and Kerkko Koskinen. Graphic: Tero Ahonen
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