in Reviews

How to strike gold

by Petri Silas

Ante Lucem, a four-piece suite for jazz quintet and symphony orchestra, is not only one of Iro Haarla’s brightest artistic statements so far, but also a waypost in Finnish jazz.

Iro Haarla’s star has been on the rise ever since the turn of the millennium. After starting out on her own in more intimate settings, the pianist and composer has continued to experiment with larger ensembles.

A logical progression is Ante Lucem, a four-piece suite for jazz quintet and symphony orchestra. Not only one of Haarla’s brightest artistic statements so far, this disc is a waypost in Finnish jazz. Grandiose projects are always high-risk ventures, which makes the success even sweeter.

Iro Haarla
IRO HAARLA: Ante Lucem
ECM 2457