Olli Hirvonen – Kielo

In many countries, state-owned radio companies took a significant role in recording and broadcasting music that did not interest commercial firms. This was also the case in Finland. Even though Finnish Broadcasting Company Yleisradio, known as Yle, was not actually a state corporation but a license-based joint-stock company, it was a public service that had a total monopoly on the Finnish radio waves.

In many countries, state-owned radio companies took a significant role in recording and broadcasting music that did not interest commercial firms. This was also the case in Finland. Even though Finnish Broadcasting Company Yleisradio, known as Yle, was not actually a state corporation but a license-based joint-stock company, it was a public service that had a total monopoly on the Finnish radio waves.

Composing has always formed an integral part of the artistic life of pianist-conductor Olli Mustonen (b. 1967) and he first emerged as a symphonist in the early 2010s. This album by the Turku Philharmonic Orchestra with Olli Mustonen conducting contains two of his most latest symphonies, both dramatic works firmly rooted and continuing the tradition of the great classical composers. Seeking inspiration from multiple sources, the theme of Mustonen’s 2nd Symphony, ‘Johannes Angelos’ (2013), is the ancient city of Constantinople and its mysticism.

Olli Ahvenlahti - Bandstand (1975). Sweet keys from 70s Finland - a great little set that's filled with jazzy work on electric piano and clavinet! Keyboardist Olli Ahvenlahti has a touch that's as warm and soulful as some of his counterparts on the American fusion scene - an approach that's not nearly as jamming or rock-influenced as some of the other European keyboardists of the 70s, and which is carried off here with a gliding, soaring approach to the groove! Olli's group on the set features trumpet and sax in the frontline - shading in the tunes with qualities similar to some of the most righteous work done on keyboard sets for Muse or Strata East in the 70s - funky one minute, cosmic the next, with tight head arrangements that state the colors of the tunes, then break into freer solos…