Tritone, composed of saxophonist Perko, bassist Antti Lötjönen and drummer Teppo Mäkynen, plunge into the musical heritage of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie on their new album. A wonder child of the saxophone, Perko played in Gillespie's big band in his teens from 1987 to 1988, and this phase on Perko's career is now well-documented in the sleeve of the new disc.
Jukka Perko, one of Finland’s leading jazz artists, makes his first outing with his brand new trio Tritone this April. Featuring a rhythm section from the vanguard of Finnish jazz – Antti Lötjönen on the bass and Teppo Mäkynen on the drums – Tritone issue their debut album on We Jazz Records. Entitled, Dizzy, the effort will come out on CD and in digital format on 28 April and on vinyl on 26 May. As the title suggests, Dizzy is a tribute to the great Dizzy Gillespie – the first of its kind for Perko and a long-awaited return from him to the bebop tradition. As a young star, Perko toured in Gillespie’s big band in 1987-88 and will now tell the whole story in the cover sleeve, which contains scraps from newspapers and other previously unreleased material. Over the spring Jukka Perko Tritone will play live in Turku, Espoo and Helsinki.
Calling the album a nostalgia project would, however, be erroneous. The trio’s potent, original takes on the classic compositions are a joyful proof of how jazz is not a static form of art but it lives and develops through time. All three members have penned the new renditions, and, indeed, they are effortless, swinging and brimming with brilliant ideas. The disc was recorded in last October at the famous Finnvox Studios and it is produced by drummer Mäkynen.
“This album is not about what Dizzy’s music means to us; rather, it’s about what we can bring to it from our lives,” Perko says. “We add a new little piece – our voice, our vision – to the vast mosaic of jazz. Dizzy’s music lives within me so it was important to have Antti and Teppo involved in creating and shaping this album with me. Of course I could have postponed this project forever, but then I thought it’s now or never: this year, 100 years has passed from Dizzy’s birthday and 30 years from my debut in his orchestra.”
The sleeve tells the story of how a Finnish farmer’s son from the small town of Huittinen ended up playing in the band of a world-famous jazz legend, and this story is, indeed, like from the pages of a novel. In addition to Perko’s own account, contemporary clippings that praise the “Little Bird” put this incredible history into context.
The catalogue of the newly-established label, We Jazz Records, is swelling at a fast pace this spring. In March, the label released Jaska Lukkarinen Trio’s well-received album Origami, and Dizzy will be followed in June by Branches from one of the best-known Finnish free jazz groups, Black Motor. In Scandinavia, the albums will be distributed by Playground Music, in Germany Herbie Martin Music and in the rest of the world the British Kudos Distribution.
Listen to the track "Dizzy’s Business" HERE.
Jukka Perko Tritone: Dizzy
We Jazz Records (WJLP03/WJCD01, CD/LP/digi, release date in Finland: 28 Apr 2017 CD/digi and 26 May 2017 LP)
Distributors: Playground Music (Scandinavia) / Herbie Martin Music (Germany) / Kudos Distribution (rest of the world)
LP:
A1 Bebop / A2 'Round Midnight / A3 A Night In Tunisia / B1 Cubano Be, Cubano Bop / B2 Dizzy's Business / B3 Con Alma
+ levyn mukana tulevan digilatauksen bonuskappaleet: Lover Come Back to Me / Woody 'n' You / One Bass Hit / Tin Tin Deo
CD:
1. Bebop / 2. 'Round Midnight / 3. A Night In Tunisia / 4. Cubano Be, Cubano Bop / 5. Dizzy's Business / 6. Con Alma / 7. Lover Come Back to Me / 8. Woody 'n' You / 9. One Bass Hit / 10. Tin Tin Deo
Jukka Perko, alto saxophone / Antti Lötjönen, bass / Teppo Mäkynen, drums
Produced by Teppo Mäkynen
Arranged by Jukka Perko Tritone
The choir in Cubano Be, Cubano Bop: KYN / KVL
Recorded by Risto Hemmi at Finnvox Studios, Helsinki on 11-12 Oct 2016
Mixed by Teppo Mäkynen & Risto Hemmi, Finnvox
Mastered by Pauli Saastamoinen, Finnvox
Matered by (LP) Jukka Sarapää, Timmion Cutting Lab
Design & sleeve texts by Matti Nives
Jukka Perko Tritone live
Wed 26 Apr at 19 Turun Konserttitalo, Turku w/ Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Sat 29 Apr at 19.30, April Jazz / Espoo Cultural Centre
Thu 1 Jun at 19 G Livelab, Helsinki
We Jazz Records / uudet julkaisut, kevät 2017
24 May WJLP02 Jaska Lukkarinen Trio: Origami LP
28 Apr WJCD01 Jukka Perko Tritone: Dizzy CD
26 May WJLP03 Jukka Perko Tritone: Dizzy LP
2 Jun WJLP04/WJCS02 Black Motor: Branches LP/MC
All releases will be available on most common download and streaming services.
Photo: Matti Pyykkö.