In addition to beloved favourites, the album "Music by Toivo Kärki" includes a few pearls from the archives, never released before.
Panu Savolainen Toivo, led by the eponymous vibraphonist, issues their first album, Music by Toivo Kärki, on Wednesday 4 March 2015 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the masterful Finnish composer Toivo Kärki's (1915-1992) birth. The A-listing crew comprises guitarist Teemu Viinikainen and bassist Jori Huhtala.
The recording is composed of favourite evergreens by Kärki in instrumental arrangements and the treat is topped off with three unreleased archival treasures, discovered with the help of Kärki's son, Kalervo Kärki. Two of these feature vocalists: "Syysyössä kahden" (1944), with lyrics penned by Kauko Käyhkö, sees Ninni Poijärvi on vocals, while "Aloha Wau Ia Oe" ("I Love You", in English) features a vocal performance by Yona, with lyrics completely rewritten by Matti Pitkänen. The third unreleased pearl, bearing the title "In the Running", dates back to the year 1939 and has has an unmistakable jazz flavour.
"To me, a personal revelation has been the discovery of Kärki's jazz influences. The deeper I have dug, the more pervasive the presence of jazz in his music has showed itself. And I must own that nothing can be more encouraging to someone working on this sort of tribute album than Kalervo Kärki's comment 'I am positive that father would have been excited by this project'", says Panu Savolainen, who has made the majority of the album's arrangements.
The Pori Jazz Artist of the Year 2010, Panu Savolainen, is known primarily for his group HERD that released the much-praised album Jazzbasilli, made in collaboration with vocalist Aili Ikonen, in 2013. Savolainen has also hosted clubs HERD and Panurama at the Lavaklubi of the Finnish National Theatre, and acted as the Artistic Director of Kalkkiranta Jazz Festival, organised in Sipoo, since 2014.
The official album-launching show takes place on Friday 6 March at 9:00PM at Lavaklubi, in the facilities of the Finnish National Theatre (Läntinen Teatterikuja 9).
In addition to trio performances, the group will give a host of collaborative concerts with some of the best symphony orchestras of the country. In these concerts, the conductor is Jaakko Kuusisto, while the arragements come from Marzi Nyman's, Mikko Hassinen's and Timo Alakotila's pens.
Panu Savolainen Toivo live (Spring 2015)
2 Mar Vapriikki, Tampere (w/ Ninni Poijärvi)
4 Mar Suisto, Hämeenlinna
6 Mar Lavaklubi, Helsinki (w/ Yona)
7 Mar Pikkuteatteri, Lahti (w/ Ninni Poijärvi)
24 Mar Järvenpää-talo, Järvenpää
26 Mar Stoa, Helsinki
30 Mar Madetojan sali, Oulu (Panu Savolainen Toivo & Oulu Sinfonia & Jaakko Kuusisto)
Panu Savolainen Toivo: Music by Toivo Kärki
Panu Savolainen, vibraphone; Teemu Viinikainen, guitar; Jori Huhtala, bass
Doorbell Music 2015 (DOORBELL0002). Distribution: Töölön Musiikkitukku Oy. Release date: 4 Mar 2015.
1. Aloha Wau Ia 'Oe (feat. Yona)* / 2. Vanhan veräjän luona / 3. Onni, jonka annoin pois / 4. Kulkurin iltatähti / 5. In the Running* / 6. Siks oon mä suruinen / 7. Lentävä kalakukko / 8. Koivun alla kello kahdeksan / 9. Syysyössä kahden (feat. Ninni Poijärvi)*
(* = previously unreleased)