ikonen, Kari - The Helsinski Suite

SKU Eclipse 201109
Lemme tell you something; no one is more excited about a new album by this group than me. A couple of years ago, I saw this group who I was completely unfamiliar with); the Finnish group Karikko, led by pianist Kari Ikonen. This new one straddles a bit more towards jazz and jazz/rock and has a bit less emphasis on the ECM-isms of the first album. Great melodies, tricky rhythms and a superb band:
Kari Ikonen: piano, rhodes, moog
Laurent Blondiau: trumpet, flugelhorn
Sonny Heinilä: flute, alto flute, tenor saxophone
Vincent Courtois: cello
Ulf Krokfors: double bass
Mika Kallio: drums

"The Helsinski Suite is the third album from Karikko. It is part tribute to the one-of-a-kind atmosphere of the Finnish capital and part showcase for the ensemble’s unique voice, as well as a vehicle for the compositions of Kari Ikonen. The six-member ensemble, established by Ikonen over a decade ago, here interpret a suite of six of the pianist’s own compositions as well as a classic Ellington standard. Here are a few words from Ikonen himself about the themes of the album, the compositions and the group."



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  • LabelEclipse
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Great improvement from their first one! And the first one was a great one already. The leader is such a great keys/ Moog player!Here the band seems to sink their toe a little bit deeper into fusion but always with great taste and attention to details in the compositions. Highly Recommended if you like Jazz with a little fusion and very dynamic compositions
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