Baltic Jazz 16 Items

Special DUO recording from 2015, featuring the crème de la crème of the younger generation of Finnish players – Max Zenger & Teemu Åkerblom!

Hard-hitting Finnish trio Mopo celebrates their 10th anniversary with a special digi EP / 7" single on We Jazz Records featuring three new tracks. "A Night In Zetor" and "Jauzaa" show a new side of the beloved group with extended, slowly building sonic narratives. "Die Mopo" is an upbeat, acid-y slice of the trio's more electronic side. The release sees Mopo reach out for new worlds of sound and as such, it presents a fine culmination of the beloved band's ten years of friendship and music.

Mopo presents a 7" with their scorching tune "Riisto" taken from the LP "Mopocalypse" on side A and a brand new cosmos-searching version of "Panama" on the flipside. "Acid Panama", as it's now called, features the Finnish scene legend Jimi Tenor on sax and various other instruments.

Deep compilation that sheds light on Estonian Electronic Folk Music between 1979 - 1983. Big tip! "Laulik-elektroonik" LP by an ex-pat Estonian musician Olev Muska is the new release of Estonian archival label Frotee Records. The compilation subtitled as "Explorations in Estonian Electronic Folk Music - The First Years, 1979-1983" brings together all Muska's Estonian-themed songs recorded prior to his debut album from 1985, "Old Estonian Waltzes". It includes previously unreleased material and tracks from limited edition tapes and 7" single. For its 10th release, Frotee has expanded its scope and is now also offering insights into quality music by Estonians all over the world. Olev Muska was born to a family of expatriate Estonians in Australia. From 1979 onwards he recorded unique versions of Estonian folk songs on various electronic music instruments at his home studio. As Muska was into contemporary experimental music and also bored with the conservative take on Estonian culture prevalent in the activities of the Australian ex-pat community, he decided to combine these two influences to create his unique brand of electronic Estonian folk music. As Muska had access to more advanced musical equipment, he achieved a level of quality in his arrangements that would not have been possible in Soviet Estonia. He managed to create surprisingly amazing Estonian minimal wave with his group Elektrio but wasn't ashamed to make medley of Estonian themes with cheesy-sounding small Casio synthesizer either. His early versions of some folk songs, like "Kaera-Jaan" or "Saaremaa", are less crazy than on his debut LP and as such a welcome addition to Frotee's collection of Balearic sounds. Although Muska was not a stranger to the contemporary Australian underground music scene, he continued to record with a couple of close friends and performed only at local Estonian events. Thus Olev Muska has been a well kept secret amongst Estonian music fans, one that remained entirely unknown to Australian record collectors until Chris Bonato from Left Ear Records introduced "Old Estonian Waltzes" LP to a wider audience. Left Ear Records has now licensed "Karjapoisi lugu" off the 1985 LP for their Australian underground music compilation "Antipodean Anomalies".

Producer/bassist Petter Eldh's celebrated Koma Saxo returns with a fresh single release on We Jazz Records, June 12. "Koma Mate" is a new look on "Koma Tema" from Koma Saxo's 2019 debut album. The track's anthemic quality remains, but with an extra 10% bangerism added for good measure. On the flip, Eldh invites Jameszoo to tear apart and reassemble Koma Saxo's elements, making for an extra tasty serving of spicy Koma Soup, filled with criss-crossing saxes and odd grooves. Lightning in a bottle, times two. "Koma Mate / Jagd (Feat. Jameszoo)" will be released by We Jazz Records on June 12 as a 7" single and digitally. True to We Jazz style, the 7" comes with an old school heat-pressed labels and a generic brown paper sleeve.

Helsinki's We Jazz Records presents "Ateneum 2019", part 2 of their ongoing "We Jazz Live Plates" series documenting the label's live activity. Recorded at the historic Ateneum Art Museum in Helsinki during spring 2019, the intense live compilation brings together three acts on the label's roster: Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen, OK:KO and Alder Ego, each performing two tracks here.

OK:KO opens proceedings with their sound electrified by Toomas Keski-Säntti changing from piano to Fender rhodes, a little touch that opens up new avenues in their sound. The band who made a big splash with their 2019 debut album "Syrtti", present energetic new versions of the title track and the looping "Piik". Alder Ego, led by drummer Joonas Leppänen, shifts gears with a new deep version of their 2018 album track "Cubism", and add a new track "Mystery Room Nr. 6" into the mix. Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen strecth out their compact tracks "Fallow" and "Goldenrod", which grow into new lenght and depth in the live setting.

"Ateneum 2019" released together with "Lonna 2019", We Jazz Live Plates vol. 3, is an inspiring example of the active and high quality jazz scene in Helsinki.

We Jazz Records presents "Lonna 2019", a nautical live album bringing together recordings captured at the successful concert series at the island of Lonna just outside Helsinki in July 2019. Part 3 of their ongoing "We Jazz Live Plates" series documenting the label's live activity, "Lonna 2019" features inspired performances by Aleksi Heinola Quintet, Antti Lötjönen Quintet East and Oaagaada. Drummer Heinola's quintet and the Hämeenlinna-based quartet Oaagaada make their We Jazz Records debut with this release, while Lötjönen is releasing his debut as a leader on the label in April.

"Lonna 2019" captures the easy-going feeling at the island series fittingly. Aleksi Heinola Quintet swings with their natural ability of making no-nonsense hard bop sound fresh in the contemporary setting. Antti Lötjönen leads his star-studded Quintet East through a high-spirited rendition of Don Cherry's "Art Deco". Oaagaada charm with their deep DIY spiritual jazz. And somewhere just above the music, a seagull screeches, echoing a perfect sunny day at Lonna.

"Lonna 2019" released together with "Ateneum 2019", We Jazz Live Plates vol. 2, is an inspiring example of the active and high quality jazz scene in Helsinki.

We Jazz Records presents "Pu:", the boundary-breaking solo debut of bass player Ville Herrala, to be released on 21 February 2020. Utilising only the double bass but looking at the instrument from various different perspectives. The end result is an inspired set of 14 miniatures, each pushing the concept forward in a highly personal way.

The first single "Pu: 12" presents a rhythmic approach with echoes of from the world of minimal classical music and electronic music. Bowed tracks such as "Pu: 2" offer another perspective, as does the second single "Pu: 10", going back to the essence of the instrument and opening new doors while doing so. Each of the tracks is a compact musical adventure unto its own.

Ville Herrala (b. 1979) is one of the most higly-regarded bass players working in the Finnish scene. He's known from the ranks of such top ensembles as PLOP, Jukka Perko Jazztet, U-Street All Stars, Jukka Eskola Orquesta Bossa and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, to name but a few.

Ville Vannemaa Cassiopeia is an exciting quintet project led by reed player Ville Vannemaa, known for his engagement in UMO Jazz Orchestra and key player in several other Finnish jazz constellations. With him on this date is Vibraphonist Panu Savolainen, Kasperi Sarikoski on trombone, Heikko Remmel on Bass and Jaska Lukkarinen on drums. Six sublime songs penned by Ville himself, plenty of detail and swinging from joy to melancholy in a melodic sense aimed for repeated listening. Future classic assured! Limited to 500 copies comes with CD inside.