In January 2020 Hot Heros, formed by Sami Sippola, Ville Rauhala and Janne Tuomi, and pianist/composer Iro Haarla recorded an album of music influenced by nature and the spirit of Northern Finland. The recording sessions were held at Haarla's old country mansion at Tervakoski, a beautiful house full of music, surrounded by big trees and a wild garden.
A musician is free when they play music and freedom is also at the very core of Hot Heros. However, on this album the freedom of improvisation was used sparingly to bear in mind the inner key of the compositions - written by Sami Sippola, Ville Rauhala and Iro Haarla - that are beautiful, melodic and often calm but with a fierce inner flame. The album Vodjanoi invites the listener to hear the sound of the deep woods and offers peace of mind.
The trio's trips to Lapland and especially to Sami-regions have been the main inspiration for this album and have left an abiding longing towards the North.
"Nature must stay as wilderness, because it says what we are and what we must be." - Sakari Topelius
The quotation from author Sakari Topelius (1818-1898) on the inner sleeve of the album urges us to appreciate and preserve the wilderness and seek a deeper understanding to live together with nature. The album's name Vodjanoi comes from Slavic mythology and means a merman who lives inside a lake or at the bottom of the sea. He can be either a guardian to the fisherman or the arch-enemy depending on what one offers to him. Sippola, who hails from a coastal town from south of Finland, is well educated on local folktales and is often inspired by them.
The record company Karkia Mistika and Hot Heros have a long and meaningful history together. The manager of the company, Jyrki Laiho, released the first album of trio Fill Up With Old Time Salvation in 2016 and is also an active organizer of gigs and concerts in the city of Pori, where the trio has often had the pleasure to perform. Laiho is truly a powerhouse in the field of Finnish jazz and has gained international appreciation through his actions releasing albums and supporting the scene.
The first single from the album, Kuulin suden ulvovan (I heard the wolf howl), is now out on digital platforms i.a. Spotify.