Download Kari Ikonen Trio Bright

OZELLA RELEASE | June 11 2013 | OZ049CD
Ozella
LC No. 10268
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Kari Ikonen Trio
Bright
Fighting darkness with mystic harmonies and swinging rhythms
Kari Ikonen has entered the major league of the piano-trio-format
Finland is not exactly a country known for its joie de vivre. Instead, most of its citizens tend to hold
a somewhat pessimistic perspective on life - musicians included. Pianist Kari Ikonen, however, is a
notable exception to this rule. Preferring light to darkness, the luminous, vivid sounds and upbeat
songs of his aptly titled album Bright are an empathetic counterpoint to the prevailing doom and
gloom. A collaboration with double bassist Ara Yaralyan and drummer Markku Ounaskaris, Bright
fuses some of the tastiest ingredients of European jazz-cuisine with filleted afro-american influences
and spicy transoriental vibes, taking the classic jazz piano trio into remarkable new directions.
Pianist, keyboarder and composer Kari Ikonen (born in 1973) is undoubtedly one of the most
renowned Finnish jazz performers on the scene today. After gaining international esteem through his
work with the Karikko-Sextet, he is now turning his full attention to the expressive possibilities of the
trio constellation: "The trio format allows for a lot of improvisatory freedom in my opinion. Especially
if you're working with versatile musicians like Ara and Markku, it can considerably expand your sonic
palette." Coming from him, that is saying quite a bit. After all, Ikonen has participated in the
recording of more than thirty full-length albums, performed with luminaries such as Bob Mintzer,
Vincent Curtois and Ron McClure and scored for ensembles such as the UMO Jazz Orchestra.
On Bright, Ikonen and his combatants are serving up a menu of to-the-point originals, fresh
interpretations of traditional Armenian folk songs and a selection of jazz standards, including John
Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and Jule Styne's "I Fall In Love Too Easily". And yet, the opener of the
release is Ikonen's very own "Bapmgwala", on which the group embark on a weightless trip on the
wings of African rhythms and harmonic abstractions. "Ambivalsante" approximates the harmonic
timbres of the Bill Evans trio, while "Plumbum" sees Ikonen hammering his way through a barrage of
heavy-metal-piano-phrases. On "The Testament of my heart" and "Trance Oriental", meanwhile,
bass-virtuoso Ara Yaralyan's jaw-dropping technique is adding splashes of cello-sounds to the
compositions of his Armenian compatriot Gushan Ashot. And as if this weren't enough, Markku
Ounaskarias's drumming and Ikonen's piano preparations are adding an irresistible swing and flow to
every bar of music.
Infusing mystic harmonies with a meditative calm, these are forward-looking improvisations. And
yet, they're never progress for progress's sake, instead upholding a fragile balance between Ikonen's
compositional aspirations and individual freedom for the performers. Bright is not just another pianotrio-recording – it is a confident step into the major league of the format.
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