Svart Organic Grooves 21 Items

The grand old man of Finnish Jazz, Eero Koivistoinen, has not kept still in his old age. Far from it, he's played with rappers from the younger generation, Argentinian tango singers, you name it. The Eero Koivistoinen Quartet, onto its 10th year in existence, is his outlet for what he knows by heart like no one else - cool quartet jazz in which Eero is aided by younger luminaries from the scene. Alexi Tuomarila is on the grand piano, Jori Huhtala on bass and Jussi Lehtonen on drums.

Diversity presents, as the title implies, a diverse selection of Koivistoinen's latest compositions plus a striking interpretation of the timeless Thelonius Monk classic Played Twice, here performed by tue duo of Koivistoinen and pianist Tuomarila.

Svart Records has released the Koivistoinen quartet's previous records as well, including Hati Hati (2015) which made it to the Finnish charts and Illusion (2017), Following the release of Diversity Koivistoinen proceeds to release his long-awaited autobiography.

A Svart Mondo Release. Limited to 500 copies on black vinyl. By early 1960’s, jazz in its mainstream form had become the standard dance music for the student parties in high schools and several student union clubrooms in Helsinki. The Polytech union even organized matinée dances for high school students on Sundays. The change in the musical preference of young people’s dance music occurred with the arrival of British rock in the mid-sixties and this, of course, coincided with another cultural and musical development. As the new campus for the school was built in Otaniemi, Espoo in 1955-1966 and its operations gradually moved there, the modern style “Dipoli” building became the crowning edifice on the campus. It was to be the new home for the Polytech student union. When this controversial building was opened in 1966, it was meant to introduce a new vision of the future and constituted an embodiment of the modernist spirit of those times in the late 1960’s. This reissue of The Complete Jazz at the Polytechnicum recordings, done in 1967-68, also provides us with a glimpse of the modern directions of those days, not only in jazz music, but also in performance art. It is easy to hear that the main aesthetic in these performances was to break conventions and find new avenues for individual expression. The publisher of these recordings was the Jazz Society of the Tech Students, which was formed a little before these recordings. The name of the society was a take-off from Norman Granz’ Jazz at The Philharmonic and it became Jazz at the Polytechnicum. Both are, of course, abbreviated as J.A.T.P., which became formulated in musicians’ mouths into “Jappa”. This Svart Records re-issue consists of four EP-records in chronological order. The first three feature three jazz groups of the leading young players with their ages ranging from 21 to 30. The fourth one documents an avant-garde art “happening” held in Dipoli on March 20th – 24th 1968 called “Posotusta, pimputusta, pompotusta”, which could freely be translated as “Huff ‘n’ puff ‘n’ plonk”.

Masterful Finnish jazz available on wax again!

Odysseus, Eero Koivistoinen's first proper jazz album, gets its title from the wandering spirit of its songs, traveling from one mood to another. Performed by the Eero Koivistoinen Quintet & Sextet, because Koivistoinen wanted to extend his standard quartet (Koivistoinen-Sarmanto-Laine-Hietanen) to a quintet and invited trumpetist Bertil Lövgren to join. Also Juhani Aaltonen is questing on two tracks. Odysseus is an excellent, youthful package of forward-thinking jazz played by ambitious young jazz superstars-to-come. The compositions are at times lyrical, at others furious and complex, but ever captivating.

The original Odysseus LP, released by the book publisher Otava Kustannus in 1969, is among the ten most expensive pieces of Finnish vinyl. Jazzpuu/Sähkö Recordings reissued Odysseus in 2006 as did we in 2016, yet both of these releases have been hard to find ever since. This time around Svart brings the masterful album back on the market on a limited Svart exclusive transparent red vinyl edition, classic black vinyl and CD.

Masterful Finnish jazz available on wax again!

The 1970 album For Children by Eero Koivistoinen was originally released by the book publishing company, Otava, which was responsible for his earlier two albums as well. Jazzpuu/Sähkö Recordings reissued For Children in 2006 as did we in 2016, yet both of these releases have been hard to find ever since. This time around Svart brings this important piece of Koivistoinen's career, a successful amalgam of acoustic jazz and funky fusion back on the market on a limited Svart exclusive blue vinyl edition, classic black vinyl and CD.

Limited vinyl pressing of 222 numbered copies.

Music of Bs/bf has echoes of early Brian Eno and Low era David Bowie. It has manipulated and textured vocals and low grain dub from early digital delay processors. Material draws influences from the 1970s Berlin school to minimalist masters like Éliane Radigue, yet it all sounds thrillingly new. Starkly beautiful instrumental pieces are layered with bassy depths and glittering peaks, with networks of mazy, centre-less electronic pathways.

Bs/bf is a fantasy forest and an alternate reality in the form of a dance performance. It is made of dancing, hypnotic music and the color blue.

Bs/bf is an environment where lights, sounds and dances with no clear place outside of the performance, blend into a mutually unraveling logic.

The initial inspiration for the work has been a photo book BLÅ Skog/blue Forest (self-published, 2009) by artist Morten Andersen. The book offers a rich imaginary environment, completely different and indifferent to the city surrounding the reader.

As a performance Bs/bf is alike, both the book and the dance performance function as portals to something different and changing.

Bs/bf is a continuation of the collaboration between Kautto, Timo Kaukolampi, Jenni Pystynen and Anna Torkkel, which began with Station to Station to Station (2019), also released on Svart Records.

2lpcd 2LP, gatefold, black vinyl.

Svart Records proudly presents Sonny Rollins with the Heikki Sarmanto trio, in an extremely rare live performance at Finland Festival in the summer of 1972. Available for the first time, fifty years after it was initially recorded, this incredible show features Sarmanto on the Fender Rhodes electric piano, his brother Pekka Sarmanto on bass and Esko Rosnell on drums. Legend of American Jazz, “Saxophone Colossus” Sonny Rollins hand-picked Heikki Sarmanto and his Finnish trio for this night of improvisation and mutual respect that culminated in years of collaboration after.

The music conjured throughout this live extravaganza is everything a jazz aficionado could have hoped for, with extensive improvisations and incredible soloing by the musicians. Two standards and one original by Rollins, which last between sixteen and twenty-four minutes, illustrate both the quartet’s vibe and supreme virtuosity. Taking place at the magnificent Finlandia Hall, an architectural marvel, which was completed only a few months earlier, and recorded by the YLE (The Finnish Broadcasting Company), this legendary concert has been expertly mastered by Pauli Saastamoinen at the infamous Finnvox Studios in 2022 to perfectly highlight the magic that was in the air all those years ago.

Rollins seems to be especially in high spirits throughout the show and his powerful and expressive playing, full of humor, is simply marvelous. He even manages to quote some hints of Jean Sibelius’ “Finlandia” tone poem as a tribute to the venue.

Through our tireless efforts at Svart Records to preserve our musical culture, you can now be re-introduced to an important piece in the jigsaw of Finnish Jazz history, immortalised on double vinyl gatefold and CD and both limited to only 1000 copies.

Drummer and composer Edward Vesala, the most internationally renowned jazz musician from Finland, was very keen on percussion instruments. Oddly enough, this broad and enduring interest is hardly evident on his albums.

Whether playing on his own albums or contributing to other musicians’ work, Vesala played a standard drum kit most of the time. He hardly used external percussionists on his own albums either. And most of all: his music was almost never percussive, at least in the traditional manner. Perhaps even stranger is the fact that he barely played any drum solos on his own albums.

That’s why I’m Here (Blue Master Special, Spel 311, 1974), recorded in Helsinki in 1973, is such a rarity. Of course, being a limited release has also made it an expensive treasure among collectors.

Additionally, I’m Here is Vesala’s only solo album and only percussive album, and one of the few where he can be said to play drum solos, albeit in his own idiosyncratic way..

The idea of a jazz drummer making a solo album was in itself quite rare in 1973, although not entirely unheard of. French Pierre Favre had already made two solo albums (in 1970 and 1972), and Dutch Han Bennink and Swedish Sven-Åke Johansson one each, both recorded in 1972.

It wasn’t exactly Vesala’s first time either. He had already played drums alone on the second side of the album Yksi, kaksi, kolme, neljä soul jumppaa (One, two, tree, four soul gymnastics, Gross Records, Grlp-27, 1969), though for purely instructive purposes, showcasing different rhythms and tempos..

"My favorite music is so called ‘free’ or very modern music (classical as well as jazz). But ‘cause of a very little jazz audience in Finland, I’m playing also Pop-jazz to get bread", Vesala introduced himself with a self-written English text, almost as if foreshadowing the diverse solo album, I’m Here. Compared to other releases of its time, the album was indeed “free’ or very modern music (classical as well as jazz)”, which may be the reason why it didn’t make a significant mark on the music scene or significantly benefit Vesala’s career at the time.

Lauri Karvonen, a jazz critic of the largest Finnish newspaper, described Vesala’s album as “certainly uncommercial” (Helsingin Sanomat, 8th of December, 1974). At the same time, he was delighted that “the most controversial contemporary jazz musician from Finland” has, “after years of prostituting (pop music, schlager), been able to completely dedicate himself to his own music.”

“The man is doing what he wants”, Karvonen summarizes.

Now, after being re-released, I’m Here can be appreciated for its manifesto-like and almost documentary nature. The album can be valued as a greatly interesting peek into Edward Vesala’s preferences and efforts in 1973, when he was still looking for his "own thing".

The reissue comes on vinyl only and is limited to 500 copies. The release comes with extensive liner notes by jazz critic Harri Uusitorppa.

One of the most rare and sought after soul lp’s from the mid 1970s, Love Is a Very Special Thing by Charles Williams receives a lush reissue from Svart Records. Originally released in Finland only, American singer and songwriter Charles Williams has remained in obscurity ever since, only known to die hard soul record collecting enthusiasts.

Williams’ Love Is a Very Special Thing is an epic concept album that has only been reissued in Japan some years ago in a limited edition run and is still a hard to find, highly prized collectors item. Brilliantly crafted black funk and soul from the disco era, Williams was a highly talented soul singer and musician influenced by a wide range of styles, from soul stars Marvin Gaye, Barry White and Isaac Hayes to folk rock band Crosby, Stills & Nash. Williams’ soul music is neither easy listening nor disco, but brings to mind the best of the creative 1960s Motown artists and singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Judy Collins.

Love Is a Very Special Thing began raising interest among soul collectors in the 1990s, when the internet brought record collecting into a new era. Williams’ name was discovered outside Finland and the prices soon went up. It’s no wonder: Love Is a Very Special Thing is as good as the best US soul albums of the era, but soul fanatics outside Finland didn’t have a clue about it, because it was released in Finland only, and as a relatively small pressing too.

This new luxury edition by Svart Records is the LP plus a replica of the rare 7” Just As Long / Funky Music (1976) that has never been reissued until now. The CD has the single as bonus tracks. Get yourself acquainted with a rare piece of Finnish funk and soul history, and discover an artist whose music deserves to shine again.

Black vinyl, insert

Giorgio Moroder in Finland

The pioneer of electric pop music, Giorgio Moroder (born April 26, 1940 in Ortisei, Italy) is an internationally acclaimed songwriter and producer who left his trace also in Finnish popular music. Several Moroder’s compositions and productions were released in Finland with Finnish lyrics in the 1970s and 1980s, when Moroder had his most creative peak. This compilation includes twelve Finnish Moroder-covers from early bubblegum pop to electronic disco.

Giorgio Moroder began his musical career as a singer. He gained success performing bubblegum pop in the late 1960s. He wrote some of his hits himself, but he also sang songs written by others. During his singer years he succeeded with songs Looky Looky (1969) and Son of My Father (1971). The latter became well known also in Finland, where it was covered by one of the most famous Finnish singers in 1960s and early 1970s, Ilkka Lipsanen alias Danny. The song found its way to Finland via Britain, where British band Chicory Tip had covered it first and made it to the charts with the song.

Danny was not the only Finnish singer in the early 1970s who looked at Moroder’s repertoire when searching for good songs. Koivistolaiset was a singing and dancing duo of sisters Anja and Anneli Koivisto who were well-known celebrities in 1970s Finland. They released Moroder’s composition Good Grief Christina as On siitä aikaa in 1973. This song was also discovered from Chicory Tip’s repertoire.

Cheerful and danceable bubblegum pop was an early 1970s phenomenon and in Finland it was the most popular music played in discos during those years. In the mid-1970s the style called disco music was born and the popularity of bubblegum pop faded. Also Moroder quit writing bubblegum pop and got interested in disco and electronic music. Synthesizer and drum machine technology developed and created new possibilities for producing electronic disco that can now be seen as proto-techno.

Virve Rosti was one of Finland’s most popular disco and pop singers in the late 1970s with her strong soulful voice. Rosti’s fourth solo album in 1979, Oon voimissain, was packed with her versions of late 1970s disco hits like Ring My Bell, I Will Survive and Knock On Wood. The album included also two Moroder’s compositions originally released by American disco group The Three Degrees, Antaudun (Giving Up, Giving In) and Ohari (The Runner). Both are excellent cover versions compared to the originals, even though the long instrumental section in the middle of The Runner is cut to a shorter one in the Finnish version. Rosti’s singing performance is also high quality.

Among Rosti one of Finland’s most popular female disco singers was Mona Carita, whose second album in 1980 was called Soita mulle and named after her cover version of Moroder’s composition Call Me, originally released by Blondie in the same year. Mona Carita’s version with lyrics by Raul Reiman is still among the best known Finnish disco and pop covers of the era.

Moroder’s most creative era ended in the early 1990s, though he has returned to music business within the last ten years. Finnish record producers also began looking in other directions when searching for songs. During the 1980s it became less and less popular to make Finnish cover versions of international hits. There were several reasons for this, from the improving quality of Finnish compositions to improvement of Finnish people’s understanding of other languages. When the audience began to understand the English lyrics of international songs, there was no need to make Finnish versions of them anymore. However, Moroder’s work is still recognized and played frequently today, and the same goes with the best Finnish cover versions of his compositions.

During his long career that took him from riding the Finnish prog rock wave with Wigwam to the heavy jazz rock heights of the 1990s, Pekka Pohjola tried his hand in many things. Sinfonia no 1 was his only foray into the world of classical music. Inspired by Sibelius’ 5th Symphony, Pohjola created this unforgettable piece of Nordic classical together with the Avanti Orchestra in 1989.

Pekka Laine is leading a double life. There is his daytime persona, a longstanding journalist and maker of award-winning documentary series for radio and television. Then there is the other side to him that comes out at night: the guitar player and DIY-composer. As a driving force of The Hypnomen, a band with a cult following, Laine has explored the world of instrumental music since the 1990s. In his intrepid journeys from primitive noise art to the spheres of soulful psychedelia, he has now reached one important milestone. As a result of a series of unpredictable twists and turns, Pekka Laine’s first solo album was born. The making of the album has been a highly personal journey. It is a declaration of his undying love of the enchanted instrument that is the electric guitar and the cosmic echoes that tie together the primal 1960s space sounds, psychedelia, dub music and weird film soundtracks to form one futuristic continuum.

What started as an innocent and unexpected email in last March has turned into a process mentored by Esa Pulliainen, the fearless leader of the legendary band Agents. From his seat behind the mixing console, the guitar legend captured the sound waves and created the right mood. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Toni Liimatta, a serious alchemist in the world of instrumental music, added his invaluable expertise and experience. The spirit during the sessions where Laine’s compositions were transformed from dreamy ideas into reality was free and almost childlike in zeal. No holds were barred and nothing could stop the stream of influences, associations and sounds ricocheting off the studio walls. Joe Meek, electronic space sounds, Spaghetti Westerns, experimental tape music, London, California, Moscow, Jane Birkin, library music, Björn Olsson, Link Wray, early hip hop, the Wrecking Crew, folk, Roy Anderson’s films – there was no end in sight when the party started raving about all things inspiring. The music, however, is authentic. It came straight from the composer’s own head and heart.

Deluxe vinyl reissue!

Dark cloud approaching – Black Magic Six set to release their fifth album in September!

The title of Black Magic Six’s upcoming album Black Cloud Descending really sums up the mood and thoughts of its creators during the album making process. It tells stories of constant escaping, accepting defeat, destinies of outcasts, failures, and drunks. Tales of the wiser, exaggerated lies, vague rumours, fuzzy states of mind and suspicious circumstances – even the thought in the back of your head about the possibility of redemption while standing on the edge of the cliff right before falling in; it’s all there.

The album’s first single Blood of Babylon is a garage rocking song about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog. Lyrical themes of the upcoming album are moving between reality and the imaginary world; remembering the moments at Belo Horizonte, how to use the powder that protects you from the evil eye, how it felt to wonder in the same alleyways with the werewolf of Istanbul or diving to safety to the bottom of a pond in Northern Savo.

Musically the album is on a narrow path. All the sounds heard on Black Cloud Descending are produced by Taskinen and Motherfuckin’ Japa. Sure, there are two exceptions; the gong heard in the end of Werewolf of Istanbul was recorded by Sakke Koivula at his home and the church bells in the outro of Full House Blues are ringed by unknown. Previous albums of BM6 had lots of featured vocalists and other guests playing guitar, percussions, and harmonica. People that one could call actual musicians. These past albums have had a softer, more versatile, and maybe even a livelier touch to them. This time around there’s only the core; the percussionist and the singing guitar player. The result is more raw, rugged, and rougher than before.

Black Cloud Descending is out on September 1st on vinyl, CD and digital platforms. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Mitro Kylliäinen at Kung Fu Audio along with BM6 during 2022-2023. Original art used for the album cover was made by Greger Grönholm. The band will play selected live shows to celebrate the new album in Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. Dates of these gigs will be announced closer to the release date of the album.

Dark cloud approaching – Black Magic Six set to release their fifth album in September!

The title of Black Magic Six’s upcoming album Black Cloud Descending really sums up the mood and thoughts of its creators during the album making process. It tells stories of constant escaping, accepting defeat, destinies of outcasts, failures, and drunks. Tales of the wiser, exaggerated lies, vague rumours, fuzzy states of mind and suspicious circumstances – even the thought in the back of your head about the possibility of redemption while standing on the edge of the cliff right before falling in; it’s all there.

The album’s first single Blood of Babylon is a garage rocking song about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog. Lyrical themes of the upcoming album are moving between reality and the imaginary world; remembering the moments at Belo Horizonte, how to use the powder that protects you from the evil eye, how it felt to wonder in the same alleyways with the werewolf of Istanbul or diving to safety to the bottom of a pond in Northern Savo.

Musically the album is on a narrow path. All the sounds heard on Black Cloud Descending are produced by Taskinen and Motherfuckin’ Japa. Sure, there are two exceptions; the gong heard in the end of Werewolf of Istanbul was recorded by Sakke Koivula at his home and the church bells in the outro of Full House Blues are ringed by unknown. Previous albums of BM6 had lots of featured vocalists and other guests playing guitar, percussions, and harmonica. People that one could call actual musicians. These past albums have had a softer, more versatile, and maybe even a livelier touch to them. This time around there’s only the core; the percussionist and the singing guitar player. The result is more raw, rugged, and rougher than before.

Black Cloud Descending is out on September 1st on vinyl, CD and digital platforms. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Mitro Kylliäinen at Kung Fu Audio along with BM6 during 2022-2023. Original art used for the album cover was made by Greger Grönholm. The band will play selected live shows to celebrate the new album in Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. Dates of these gigs will be announced closer to the release date of the album.

Dark cloud approaching – Black Magic Six set to release their fifth album in September!

The title of Black Magic Six’s upcoming album Black Cloud Descending really sums up the mood and thoughts of its creators during the album making process. It tells stories of constant escaping, accepting defeat, destinies of outcasts, failures, and drunks. Tales of the wiser, exaggerated lies, vague rumours, fuzzy states of mind and suspicious circumstances – even the thought in the back of your head about the possibility of redemption while standing on the edge of the cliff right before falling in; it’s all there.

The album’s first single Blood of Babylon is a garage rocking song about Sam Berkowitz’s relationship with Sam Carr’s speaking dog. Lyrical themes of the upcoming album are moving between reality and the imaginary world; remembering the moments at Belo Horizonte, how to use the powder that protects you from the evil eye, how it felt to wonder in the same alleyways with the werewolf of Istanbul or diving to safety to the bottom of a pond in Northern Savo.

Musically the album is on a narrow path. All the sounds heard on Black Cloud Descending are produced by Taskinen and Motherfuckin’ Japa. Sure, there are two exceptions; the gong heard in the end of Werewolf of Istanbul was recorded by Sakke Koivula at his home and the church bells in the outro of Full House Blues are ringed by unknown. Previous albums of BM6 had lots of featured vocalists and other guests playing guitar, percussions, and harmonica. People that one could call actual musicians. These past albums have had a softer, more versatile, and maybe even a livelier touch to them. This time around there’s only the core; the percussionist and the singing guitar player. The result is more raw, rugged, and rougher than before.

Black Cloud Descending is out on September 1st on vinyl, CD and digital platforms. The album was produced, recorded, and mixed by Mitro Kylliäinen at Kung Fu Audio along with BM6 during 2022-2023. Original art used for the album cover was made by Greger Grönholm. The band will play selected live shows to celebrate the new album in Finland, Germany, Denmark, and Spain. Dates of these gigs will be announced closer to the release date of the album.