Biography

The saxophonist Heikki "Hepa" Halme has been part of the vanguard of domestic jazz for decades. Halme Prospekt's fifth album Prospektagon features important guest artists: Hannu Salama's recitation as well as one of the final recordings of the late trumpeter Matti Riikonen.

Prospektagon is the fifth album by the band Halme Prospekt.

"The idea for Prospektagon was to make a straightforward album without any overdubs or editing, representing the new Halme Prospekt sound," says Hepa Halme about creation process of the album.

"The project started well, the demo versions of the new songs sounded promising. The studio was booked, the band was in top condition and ready for action. But then the pandemic hit and bringing great uncertainty. We decided to continue in the fall when we would start a new training period, and then go to the studio at the beginning of the following year.

"However, fate intervened even worse than the pandemic. Our trumpeter Matti Riikonen died in the spring of 2021 after a short illness. We had to start over again. It didn't seem like it would make sense to repeat what we had practiced before, but with the arrival of a new trumpeter, we decided to also work on completely new songs. So the album is not only a farewell to Matti - who can be heard sampled in the song Sensible Things - but also a step towards a new, rougher and more swinging but on the other hand more sensitive and improvisatory expression.

"The record was made during an intense session that took place within one day. The end result is a representative example of the musicianship of its creators and the collaboration that has become more and more natural over the years of Halme Prospekt. It also properly honors the memory of Matti Riikonen and his contribution throughout the band's history as an essential component of the Halme Prospekt sound. The record is dedicated to him."

Tracklist

1. Harmattan
2. Hustoi
3. Digelius After Dark
4. Bluesinclusion
5. Sensible Things
6. Mono Flow
7. Alone in a Hole
8. Anakromantik