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2CD
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ECD 2024226CD
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"A remarkable ensemble of jazz innovators: Jukka Orma (guitar), Pepa Päivinen (saxophone), Dimitri Grechi Espinoza (saxophone), Ville Rauhala (bass) and Simo Laihonen (drums), grouped up for Albert Ayler Reawakened, a bold homage to the free-jazz pioneer Albert Ayler. With new arrangements and original compositions inspired by Ayler's avant-garde legacy, the ensemble offers a fresh and powerful reinterpretation of his work, fusing deep improvisation with dynamic creativity. While this is a truly collaborative project, it also brings together two prominent figures in Finnish music history. Guitarist Jukka Orma, known for his groundbreaking work in rock and experimental music, has long been a pivotal figure in the Finnish music scene with his genre-defying sound. Saxophonist Pepa Päivinen, a leading voice in the Finnish jazz scene, is celebrated for his exciting approach and fearless improvisation. Both artists have extensive histories in redefining the limits of jazz and contemporary music, and their collaboration with Espinoza, Rauhala and Laihonen creates an ensemble of seasoned musicians who each bring their unique voice to the table. Together, the ensemble taps into Ayler's spirit of freedom, chaos, and beauty, offering audiences an electrifying blend of modern creativity and a deep reverence for the pioneering free-jazz sound. Albert Ayler Reawakened reintroduces Ayler's music in a way that resonates both with the past and the present, inviting listeners into a rich, expressive soundscape."
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CD
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ECD 2025251CD
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"Blight Music, the third album by drummer and composer Sam Ospovat as a bandleader, is an uncompromising statement that bridges the ecstatic freedom of avant-garde improvisation with the rhythmic vitality and melodic tension of the 1970s loft jazz scene. The album doesn't just nod to history -- it vibrates with it, reimagining past energies for a chaotic present. Recorded in a burned-out, graffiti-covered waterfront warehouse in Brooklyn's Bush Terminal, Blight Music captures more than just music. It captures atmosphere. Concrete pillars, soaring 20-foot ceilings, and the industrial remnants of New York's past created a reverberant environment where the city's monumental history, volatile present, and uncertain future all seemed to collide. That tension lives in every note -- raw, alive, unfiltered. The music itself is a high-wire act. It veers between exuberant melodic lines and unrelenting intensity, often suspending time through intricate polyrhythmic layers. Each composition is executed with fiery conviction by a transatlantic supergroup of improvisers --musicians known for their adventurous spirits and distinct voices. The core ensemble includes: Matt Mitchell (piano), who also contributes the album's liner notes, Tim Dahl (fretless electric bass), Finnish ECM legend Raoul Björkenheim (electric guitar), Olli Hirvonen (electric guitar), Matt Nelson (tenor saxophone), Nick Lyons (alto saxophone), and Sam Ospovat on drums and compositions. Together, they form a unit that Ospovat has cultivated over several years, with performances across New York and Europe. The group took on a more permanent shape after Ospovat's nearly full-time move to Helsinki in 2022, evolving into a rare ensemble that defies national and stylistic borders."
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