Jukka Tolonen ‎- Crossection (1976)

Otro excelente disco se une a nuestra saga finlandesa de la música de Jukka Tolonen, y me atrevería a decirles que es una excelente compilación para ser tomada como punto como para entrarle tanto a los discos solistas del músico como a la música de Tasavallan Presidentti y hasta todo el rock finlandés de los 70s.

Artista: Jukka Tolonen

Álbum: Crossection
Año: 1976
Género: Jazz rock psicodélico
Duración: 35:56
Nacionalidad: Finlandia

Lista de Temas:
1. Northern Lights
2. Witchdrum
3. Last Quarters
4. Windermere Avenue
5. Silva The Cat
6. Wedding Song

Alineación:
- Jukka Tolonen / electric and acoustic guitars, piano
- Paroni Paakkunainen / sax, flute
- Pekka Pöyry / sax, flute
- Esa Kotilainen / moog
- Heikki Virtanen / bass, string bass
- Måns Grounstroem / bass
- Esko Rosnell / drums, percussion
- Vesa Aaltonen / drums
With:
Jussi Aalto / trombone
Eero Raittinen / vocals

Jazz estadounidense, música popular finlandesa y psicodelia internacional reunidas en un mismo lugar: en las manos y guitarra del excelente guitarrista Jukka Tolonen. Pues bien, los finlandeses son gente muy creativa musicalmente hablando, y aquí se nota...

No me pidan que agregue más cosas a lo ya comentado, me volvería a repetir y perdería tiempo al cuete, tengo muchos discos para publicar. En todo caso, el que quiera algún comentario extra que se lo pida a Vicky que seguro se colgará horas escuchando los discos del señor Tolonen que publicamos con el blog cabezón.
Aquí, algún comentario en inglés...

Suomi Lights
As with most Jukka Tolonen solo albums, the backing on this album, is mainly made up from members of the notable Finnish prog bands, Tasavallan Presidentti (Pekka Pöyry; Vesa Aaltonen; Heikki Virtanen) and Wig Wam (Mans Groundstroem; Esa Kotilainen).
The music a mostly Guitar/Piano/moog based Jazz Rock, with some longer solo's parts not unlike early Santana , but with very beautiful use of Flute and Sax changing the impression into an almost Folk like texture at times. Most tracks (Northern Lights/Windermere Avenue/Silva the Cat) are mid tempo, with an laid back feeling, easily able to support a Sunday morning hangover. But three tracks need a bit more explanation, they fall outside this general description.
Witchdrum (6:21) A wonderful track, starting out in a more frantic tempo than the other tracks, shifting between distinct Tull'ish flute sections, and wild guitar/bass/drum parts.
Last Quarter (8:36) Another very interesting track that makes this Tolonen album stick out. The only track that is with vocal. And written in a style, that shows an clear Gentle Gain influence, the vocal not of Giant quality, but the composition itself supreme, one of the only examples I know of anyone attempting to make a Gentle Giant style song, and actually making it very close.
Wedding Song (4:47) The last track on the album, in a slow tempo, with acoustic string bass, and acoustic guitar, flute and trombone playing the melody lines, soft percussion, very Nordic melancholic, very beautiful ending.
As an album not essential enough to get 5/5 stars, even though some part definitely are.

John Jepsen

From the opening track 'Northern Lights', this album highlights just how good Finnish jazz rock fusion music can get whilst in the hands of master instrumentalists such as Jukka Tolonen. 'Northern Lights' delivers a seriously memorable guitar riff and solo, amidst piano and saxophone jazz-influenced accompaniments setting a high standard that is maintained throughout the balance of the album. OK, the stand-out track is the opening one, but there is much to discover in the other pieces.
Apart from possible airings on random local community radio programs, this album was first heard in Australia over the airwaves in 1977 courtesy of pioneering ABC radio 2JJ, for which this reviewer is eternally grateful. How else would the alternative music-starved youth of Australia be exposed to this genre of music in the 70's, when it was all Top 40 mush from the others?

David Maertin

Vicky debe estar feliz me imagino, y esto no termina aquí...