Jouni Järvelä Group

A NEW RECORDING NOW AVAILABLE:
"Jouni Järvelä Group: A GRAND DAY OUT (LIVE) (JJMCD-07)

"One of Finland's premiere saxophonists, Jouni Järvelä doesn't release albums that often. When he does, the musical results are outstanding, like on this effort that was compiled from several live performances during the Finland tour in 2005." (Fimic)

Finnish saxophonist and composer Jouni Järvelä has released his second CD as a leader. Following the highly-acclaimed debut record "Lento" (1999), the new outstanding record by the Jouni Järvelä Group is called "a Grand day out (live)". The live recording was made during the band's tour of Finland in April 2005.

"A Grand day out (live)" features - along with Jouni Järvelä's magnificent playing on soprano, alto, and the rare C-melody saxophones - the most prominent of Finnish musical talents: Samuli Mikkonen on piano and synthesizers, Marzi Nyman on guitars and Lasse Lindgren on electric bass and fretless acoustic bass guitar. The amazing interaction of the group is accented by the pre-eminent leading European drummer, Norwegian Audun Kleive.

The compositions on the record are for most part by Järvelä and Mikkonen. This record is a fantastic chance to get to witness in unedited live performances the wide variety of Jouni Järvelä Group's highly personal compositions, soaring improvisations and open communication, with moods ranging from rough to fragile.

DISTRIBUTION:
IN FINLAND:
www.digelius.com (NOW)
www.jukeboxshop.net (NOW)
www.levyvirasto.net ( SOON)
and retail shops
(retail distributor: www.toolonmusiikkitukku.com)
OUTSIDE FINLAND:
www.digelius.com (NOW)
www.jukeboxshop.net (NOW)
www.cdbaby.com (SOON)
www.recordoffice.com (SOON)
ALSO AVAILABLE AGAIN: the critically acclaimed debut record of Jouni Järvelä Group: "Lento"

FIRST REVIEWS OF "a Grand day out (live)" ARE IN:

- “On his new, second album under his own name (debut record Lento was released in –99), Järvelä definitely wanders his own path, crosses trends, tacks between different styles.”
- ”The choice of Kleive as the drummer clearly gives the record personality and freshness.”
- ”The 56 minutes on the record have such a character, that you think it ends too early. Everything speaks for this being durable music with certain characteristics of timelessness…”
- ”How good this band is maybe best illustrated by quite simply establishing the fact that the album consists of recordings from three concerts. It’s something you don’t come to think of before you hear the applause. But it partly explains the authentic and airy atmosphere of the album. The sound quality itself isn’t affected by this being a concert recording – music sounds excellent.”
Hufvudstadsbladet (Helsinki), September 12th (J-E Holmberg)
- ”Jouni Järvelä’s interesting record is full of surprises.”
- ”The work of the fine musicians is enjoyable to follow, and the record reveals its secrets only after several hearings, it offers so many layers and diverse styles of music. A fine whole.”
5 out of 5, Rytmi 6/07 (L.Isbom)
- ”Within the same piece the music can swing from a punctuated, melodic Pink Floydian wash to a Wes Montgomerian excursion and back via a Zappa style freeform multilogue.”
- “Featuring names well established on the Finnish modern jazz scene, (Järvelä having asked Kleive to join the band) was rewarded with performances of assertive but sensitive drumming, well matching Mikkonen’s flowing piano, and new guitarist Marzi Nyman’s quirky, variously processed guitar.”
- “So when the sax, piano or guitar share central stage it is hard to tell who is in the driving seat. Some may construe this to be a weakness, but it leads to a very deeply integrated band who all obviously lean trustingly on each other throughout the album.”
- “Duly the band is both lax and sharp, investigating avenues occasionally precipitous but typically close to mundane, yet always treating them with a multi-instrumental approach that gives the music space as well as intensity. The album in fact offers some grand evenings out, and what’s more the recording is very clean, the music is lean, and the players nothing short of mean.”
AllAboutJazz.com 10/2007 (A. Shaw)