in Reviews

Recharged fusion

"For some years jazz fusion (broadly defined) has seen something of a revival in Finland. Drummer and composer Mikko Hassinen’s new band and album Elektro GT evidently belongs in this rising stack."

hassinenMIKKO HASSINEN ELEKTRO GT

Elektro GT

Texicalli Texcd 136

 

For some years jazz fusion (broadly defined) has seen something of a revival in Finland. Drummer and composer Mikko Hassinen’s new band and album Elektro GT evidently belongs in this rising stack. But Hassinen delves deeper and fuses the ’70s fusion with new elements, such as lo-fi aesthetics. Also, the emphasis is rather on the compositions (all by Hassinen) than on soloing miraculously fast, an offense not too uncommon in this genre. This is not to say, though, that the record is short of individual achievements.

Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori plays his processed trumpet in a manner reminiscent of Miles in the wonderful world of repeated riffs, while Aki Rissanen’s keyboards leads the thoughts to the weather, Weather Report, that is. Rissanen’s arsenal of instruments obviously includes the Rhodes piano and analogue synthesisers, but also rougher sounds and computer-like bleeps are heard.

Bassist Lauri Porra, the great grandson of Jean Sibelius, famous from the metal band Stratovarius, builds a solid foundation for the music. The versatile Timo Kämäräinen is heard on guitar, at times in a heroic manner. Hassinen’s percussive tools range from brushes and sticks to drum machines.

 Jan-Erik Holmberg